What Can I Expect From Assisted Living?

Making the transition from home-based care to assisted living can seem like an impossible task. Some barriers include emotional ties to the home, established daily routine patterns, and a reluctance to upcoming changes. However, the benefits of joining an assisted living community, including improving mental and physical well-being, surpass the fear of taking the leap.

Preparing and knowing what to anticipate in an assisted living community helps facilitate a smooth transition. The following five changes are some of what you can look forward to when embarking on an assisted living journey are:

Lower Stress Levels – Family members or caregivers typically help home-based care seniors with daily tasks, such as eating, cleaning, and getting ready for the day. As time passes and conditions worsen, this can put a strain on the relationship between the caregiver and the senior.Additionally, managing finances associated with living in an apartment or home can become overwhelming for a senior with worsening health conditions. Utilities, rent, and the chaos of online and paper mail payments can get lost and lead to accumulating debt. Seniors living alone can also become victims of scams.
Moving the responsibilities of financial management, everyday tasks, and medical attention over to assisted living takes the stress off the new resident and their former caregiver. Feelings of guilt and strain on relationships between the senior and family members or other caregivers will improve.
Better Opportunities for Self-Care – Just because senior residents are in a different stage of life doesn’t mean they shouldn’t pamper themselves and feel confident in their own skin.Considering that almost 80 percent of falls happen in the bathroom, seniors may be afraid to shower or bathe, brush their teeth, clip their nails, brush and style their hair, or even use the bathroom. Assisted living care bathrooms are typically fully equipped with anti-fall safety measures so that residents can meet their grooming needs without fear.
Thoughtfully designed facilities with natural lighting, high ceilings, hardwood floors, and lush furniture give a feeling of luxury. A homey residence with natural tones, located in a well-established and quiet neighborhood, can allow residents to relax with ease.

Having an in-house stylist who revamps hair, manicures nails, and helps find the perfect looks, can re-energize and boost confidence in seniors. Laundry & linen services keep residents feeling fresh.
Improved Well-Being – Better nutrition and fitness opportunities offered in assisted living enhance well-being. Scheduled outings such as walks, scenic car rides, or even outdoor picnics improve residents’ mental health. Physical therapy exercises help residents regain mobility and feel their best.Assisted living typically offers well-stocked kitchens with ample cooking space, should the resident prefer to prepare their own meals. If they don’t feel like cooking, homemade, nutritious meals are typically offered three times a day, in addition to protein-packed snacks.
Safety and well-being go hand-in-hand. A reliable assisted living community has high-security facilities with camera surveillance, highly trained and 24-hour on-call staff, as well as anti-fall design and reduced clutter to avoid any accidents.
A New-Found Community – According to a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), about 25 percent of adults over the age of 65 are living in social isolation. Moving into an assisted living situation can allow seniors to find the community they were lacking.A well-organized assisted living community provides creative, physical, or specific-skilled workshops to encourage residents to interact and get to know each other. A sense of community leads to greater activity and boosts inspiration. What’s more, the Harvard School of Public Health released a study linking an active social life with a decreased risk for the onset of memory loss.
Having Fun and More Deeply Experiencing Life – Most importantly, seniors will have fun in this new chapter of life. Amenities, such as cable TV and Wi-Fi, allow residents to stay plugged in and relax. Events, such as concerts, holiday celebrations, and more, are offered to residents to keep them engaged.The main objective of assisted living is to equip residents with the tools they need to lead a comfortable, motivating, and fulfilling life. They can live independently, choosing activities to fill their own schedule with while still receiving the day-to-day support needed.

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