When we begin to consider the idea of moving a family member to an assisted living community, the benefits of living there are not always crystal clear. Though we know they will be safer and have more friends around, activities to keep them busy and perhaps someone to take them to the doctor, every resident will benefit a little differently. The real benefits will become apparent to the resident and his or her family only after they have actually lived in a community for several months.
Making a move requires thinking in terms of trade offs. To move from a current living situation to a different living situation requires giving something up in order to gain something else. If you are considering the possibility of a move, chances are a move is past due, as the majority of people tend to wait longer than they should to make a move.
Making a move requires thinking in terms of trade offs. To move from a current living situation to a different living situation requires giving something up in order to gain something else. If you are considering the possibility of a move, chances are a move is past due, as the majority of people tend to wait longer than they should to make a move.
Safety
For some, the greatest benefit is safety. If the older adult is frail, visually impaired or unsteady on their feet, living with others can serve as a safety net. There will be other residents around to help them walk, be another set of eyes, or help them up from a chair. If they have an accident, a health emergency or a fall, they will not be alone for long.
For some, the greatest benefit is safety. If the older adult is frail, visually impaired or unsteady on their feet, living with others can serve as a safety net. There will be other residents around to help them walk, be another set of eyes, or help them up from a chair. If they have an accident, a health emergency or a fall, they will not be alone for long.
Friends
As we begin to reach our later years our friends may begin to pass away. If we are unable to drive, it may be harder to see the ones we still have remaining. If we have lost a spouse, we may have lost our best friend. Isolation can be debilitating for a senior with depression, health issues or memory loss. Assisted living provides a constant source of friendship. Even those who claim to be loners will benefit from the mere presence of other people. Conversation, social activity and the opportunity to enjoy festive occasions all bring quality of life to residents.
Nutrition
As we age it becomes harder to shop for groceries and prepare nutritious meals. If our family member lives alone the idea of cooking for one becomes challenging. The proposed facility would provide at least two meals per day at convenient and regular times of day. Being well nourished and hydrated will improve health. Social activity at meals aids digestion and well being. Mealtimes often become the most important event of the day.
Housekeeping
Seniors living at home alone often begin to skip the housekeeping tasks they can no longer do well, like making the bed, vacuuming, or yard work. The actual maintenance of their home may cease due to their disability, lack of energy, failing eyesight or ill health. Safety becomes an increasing issue in a home that is cluttered or unsanitary; unsafe electrical appliances or faulty plumbing can lead to disaster. In assisted living, not only will the bed be made, light bulbs will be changed and the floor will be cleared and vacuumed by trained staff. Housekeeping includes dozens of small, very important tasks that lead to an easier and safer life for older adults.
As we begin to reach our later years our friends may begin to pass away. If we are unable to drive, it may be harder to see the ones we still have remaining. If we have lost a spouse, we may have lost our best friend. Isolation can be debilitating for a senior with depression, health issues or memory loss. Assisted living provides a constant source of friendship. Even those who claim to be loners will benefit from the mere presence of other people. Conversation, social activity and the opportunity to enjoy festive occasions all bring quality of life to residents.
Nutrition
As we age it becomes harder to shop for groceries and prepare nutritious meals. If our family member lives alone the idea of cooking for one becomes challenging. The proposed facility would provide at least two meals per day at convenient and regular times of day. Being well nourished and hydrated will improve health. Social activity at meals aids digestion and well being. Mealtimes often become the most important event of the day.
Housekeeping
Seniors living at home alone often begin to skip the housekeeping tasks they can no longer do well, like making the bed, vacuuming, or yard work. The actual maintenance of their home may cease due to their disability, lack of energy, failing eyesight or ill health. Safety becomes an increasing issue in a home that is cluttered or unsanitary; unsafe electrical appliances or faulty plumbing can lead to disaster. In assisted living, not only will the bed be made, light bulbs will be changed and the floor will be cleared and vacuumed by trained staff. Housekeeping includes dozens of small, very important tasks that lead to an easier and safer life for older adults.
Family Roles Restored
A very powerful, yet real benefit of assisted living is the restoration of family roles. That is, a spouse who has been acting as a care giver or nurse to her husband, can get back to being a wife. A daughter who has perhaps abandoned the needs of her own children to care for her failing parents will be able to resume the role of mother and her role as daughter once again. Many families are divided with stressful scheduling and shifting of plans in order to provide care for their aging parents. A priceless value of assisted living communities is that they allow us to advocate for our parents while letting the trained staff do the professional work it takes to improve their lives.
A very powerful, yet real benefit of assisted living is the restoration of family roles. That is, a spouse who has been acting as a care giver or nurse to her husband, can get back to being a wife. A daughter who has perhaps abandoned the needs of her own children to care for her failing parents will be able to resume the role of mother and her role as daughter once again. Many families are divided with stressful scheduling and shifting of plans in order to provide care for their aging parents. A priceless value of assisted living communities is that they allow us to advocate for our parents while letting the trained staff do the professional work it takes to improve their lives.
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