Assisted living can provide your senior loved one with the assistance they require and you with the security of knowing they’re secure and well taken care of.
Finding the ideal community can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! With these helpful tips in mind, selecting the ideal neighborhood becomes much simpler!
When selecting a place to live, make sure it feels warm and welcoming. Be sure to inspect both the staff and residents for additional insight.
Peace of Mind
Family caregivers know how draining it can be to take on the responsibility of caring for a loved one. Assisted living offers an ideal solution, offering your loved one the independence to live independently while still receiving all the assistance they require.
Assisted living also offers you peace of mind as a caregiver. Knowing your loved one is in an appropriate environment with excellent care allows you to focus on other aspects of life such as work, family obligations, and more.
One way to achieve inner peace is through meditation or mindfulness. Additionally, physical actions like decluttering your space, listening to music, and saving money can help eliminate negative thoughts from your mind.
Personal Care
Personal care services assist seniors in performing essential daily tasks, such as taking medication, bathing and dressing. Furthermore, they offer a range of social and recreational activities to promote senior independence.
Assisted living communities and personal care homes are residential long-term care options designed with senior safety in mind. Trained caregivers are on-site 24 hours a day to assist residents with one or more of their daily activities, such as mobility, dressing, eating and toileting.
Personal care homes, unlike nursing home care, are not covered by Medicaid. However, many seniors may qualify for assistance through the Community First Choice State Plan Option (CFCO). Through this program, individuals have the freedom to hire any caregiver they choose and also access benefits like durable medical equipment, personal emergency response systems and respite care.
Socialization
Socialization in nursing homes and assisted living communities is essential for ensuring all residents receive the attention they require. It can reduce the likelihood of isolation, depression, and loneliness.
Seniors living in assisted living communities tend to be more social than they were at home, which allows them to form new friendships and foster relationships that can improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Assisted living facilities offer seniors a multitude of ways to socialize, from dining together to interest-based social clubs. Furthermore, they provide spiritual activities like guided meditations or Bible studies for spiritual enrichment.
Additionally, a structured daily socialization program can assist seniors with improving their focus and concentration. This improvement could be particularly helpful to those suffering from mental health issues like dementia.
Health Care
If you or someone close to you requires ongoing medical care, assisted living is an ideal solution. These communities provide a range of health and personal care services like up to three meals daily, assistance with daily tasks and medications, 24-hour supervision and security, plus on-site staff members.
These facilities often offer specialized services for people with dementia and certain intellectual and developmental disabilities. Other residents may have medical conditions like Parkinson’s disease.
For these and other reasons, integrating medical care into assisted living is becoming increasingly essential. However, this change requires the cooperation of owners and operators alike.
In some states, adding doctors and nurses to assisted living has resulted in a dramatic reduction of hospitalizations – though this integration hasn’t been seamless for all facilities.