There is comfort in staying in one’s own home. Many people struggle with the idea of giving up their independence, leaving a familiar environment, or losing the constant support of loved ones. But staying in a private home isn’t always possible. If you have started to wonder is it time for Assisted Living ?, these tips may be helpful. There are many benefits of moving to Assisted Living, especially for someone who needs some level of daily care. Here are four great reasons why.
1. It’s Safer
For many seniors, handling daily chores such as grooming and bathing can be difficult and even dangerous. Even if your home is equipped with safety bars in the bathrooms and clutter has been removed to make it easier to get around, you can still slip and fall. While you can certainly invest in a personal security system, many facilities for Assisted Living in California have staff on hand 24 hours a day to help.
If you fall and injure yourself or if you become ill, it takes only a few minutes for a staff member to reach you. The staff at a community for Assisted Living should be trained in basic first aid and can quickly contact authorities to help. In addition, these facilities are quite secure in general, which may give you greater peace of mind than you would have in a private home. Some communities that also offer Memory Care are specifically designed to prevent wandering caused by Dementia.
2. Fewer Responsibilities
Retirement might mean an end to the daily grind at the office, but if you live in a private home, there are still plenty of daily, weekly and monthly chores to tackle. Yards and homes must be maintained, cars have to be serviced, bills have to be paid and rooms have to be cleaned. Add to that laundry chores and shopping for groceries, and there is still a lot to do. That’s fine if you are in perfect health, but if you have some mobility issues, these chores can really take their toll both physically and mentally. One great benefit of an Assisted Living community is that virtually all of these responsibilities are handled for you.
Generally, Assisted Living includes weekly housekeeping, weekly laundry services and three meals per day plus snacks. In addition, there are no lawns to mow and no costly repairs to make. When it comes to bills, rather than paying house payments, property tax, utility bills, and large grocery bills, you pay one monthly fee to the facility. Optional bills might include a cell phone bill, medical bills and bills for things such as Netflix, but it’s still much less to have to handle each month.
3. Nutrition Is Easier
One very common problem affecting older adults, especially those who live alone, is malnutrition. Mobility issues can make it tough to get to the store to buy food, not to mention cooking and cleaning. Some seniors also no longer drive, so this makes shopping even more difficult.
Many apartments at your community for Assisted Living will include a small kitchenette or an area with a small fridge, microwave, and coffee pot, granting you the liberty to cook when you want. But they also have a community dining room that provides three balanced meals a day, as well as snacks. In some cases, you can have meals delivered to your room, which provides you with an option to eat alone if you aren’t feeling well or to host a small luncheon with one or two friends.
It’s important to note that while seniors who live alone may cook for themselves each day, it’s possible that they are not eating a varied enough diet. At most facilities for Assisted Living, each meal includes several entrée choices, and there’s always something to accommodate virtually every dietary need. Many communities work hard to provide very high quality meals, even hiring nutritionists to ensure a balanced diet. Since you can eat with others, mealtime is more pleasant experience, minimizing the loss of appetite that comes from loneliness. When you are searching for Assisted Living, be sure to sample a meal at the facilities you visit to determine whether or not the cuisine is to your liking.
4. Avoiding Isolation
This is one of the best benefits of Assisted Living. Isolation is a huge problem among older adults. Being alone can lead to severe depression, as well as increase your risk for other illnesses. For those in Assisted Living, there should be a wide variety of activities to enjoy. Typically, in addition to daily activities, there will be planned excursions as well as special events to keep residents active and social.
Typical Daily Activities
- Exercise classes
- Dance lessons
- Game nights
- Gardening
Special Events
- Holiday celebrations
- Concerts
- Tea parties
- Classic car shows
Before choosing Assisted Living, be sure to take a look at some of the past activity calendars to see if there are items that appeal to you. Talk to some of the residents, as well, to see how they enjoy life at the facility. Ask them what they think are the best benefits of Assisted Living.
If you aren’t certain how to get started on your search, give us a call today (619) 660-8814. We are San Diego County’s largest, free eldercare referral site, and we are always here to help you find the best facility for your needs in San Diego, Orange County, and Baja California.