Crohn's & Renting an Apartment: Be Sure to Ask Plenty of Practical Questions

The bedroom is larger than you expected. You can imagine a cool breeze floating through the window of your white-on-white living room next spring.

The apartment looks perfect. But if you're a renter who happens to have Crohn's disease, does it really meet all your needs?

The right rental should make your life simpler - not harder - when you don't feel well. Consider all of these before signing a lease:

Location: This category covers a multitude of potential sins. That third-floor end unit might have just been painted, but can you really picture yourself hauling bags of groceries up several flights of stairs when you're in pain? If, like most Crohn's patients, your energy level is sometimes a bit low, can you really take on an hour-long commute each way to work? Is there any public transportation, and if so, does it go past any restrooms?

Neighborhood: Individuals with chronic conditions need more tham a neighborhood with some lilac bushes in the spring and lovely red maples in the fall. We require proximity to a hospital and available transportation to get there. A gorgeous apartment 20 miles from the nearest hospital and nearly as far from your gastroenterologist's office won't hack it.

Concierge services: If you're in a small building, will the landlord be on the premises to accept packages - including medications from your mail-order pharmacy - when you're gone? Does the complex you're considering offer concierge services that would handle this?

Amenities: The objective is to find an attractive place to live that makes your life easier when you're feeling under the weather and that's also within your budget. Does the apartment you're eyeing have a washer and dryer in the unit, or would you have to tote your clothes to a laundry room across the complex? If there's a fitness or computer center, is the unit you're considering even near it? Do you have to pay extra to use either one? If there's no covered parking, you should consider whether your want to use most of your energy scraping ice off your windshield once winter arrives.

Maintenance: A huge part of peace of mind when you're under the weather with Crohn's is knowing someone will promptly fix things that break. Does your landlord offer after-hours emergency repairs for major problems such as water leaks? Is there someone on call to help you get a cab or contact friends if you need to go to the emergency room at midnight? Will the management help you find someone to care for your pets if you're hospitalized? In short, will the apartment just be space for which you write a check each month, or will it be a home?

Lease: Be sure to ask to see one before the individual showing you the unit starts to fill in information on the form. In the unlikely event you were ill and without income for an extended period of time, does the lease allow you to sublet the apartment so that you can live with friends or relatives temporarily? If you need help after surgery, do the provisions allow you to have anyone stay overnight with you, and if so, for how long?

It's awfully easy to get caught up in the view of the beautiful gazebo or the one month of free rent offered by a new apartment complex. Everyone wants lovely accommodations if they're affordable. However, for Crohn's patients, it's important to temper initial excitement a little by asking practical questions to determine whether the prospective apartment will make your life easier or more complicated.