When people see or hear the term ‘senior living’, most often they envision a nursing home, a place they went to visit a grandparent or aunt or uncle as a child. Maybe they remember the sights, the sounds, or the smells of what nursing homes were like in the 60s and 70s, and those impressions as a child carry on into their adulthood beliefs. A lot has changed in the world of senior living in the last several decades for the better, and it’s time to learn more about what senior living options exist in 2024 and what distinguishes them from one another. Let’s get started!
For the purposes of this blog, we’ll look at 3 types of Senior Living facilities: Independent Senior Living and Assisted Living first and foremost, but we’ll also touch on Memory Care as well.
Independent Senior Living
Seniors who live in Independent Senior Living communities choose them because they want to spend more of their lives doing life enriching activities, like spending time with family and friends, and traveling, and less time worrying about household chores, repair costs and maintenance and meal preparation. Independent Senior Living is designed for active, and, as the name implies, independent seniors…those who can safely take care of their personal care needs, independently manage their health and medications and still live active lifestyles. Most seniors who choose Independent Senior Living are making the choice on their own, with some advisement from their family and friends. Independent Senior Living is what Parkview offers.
Assisted Living
As the name implies, Assisted Living facilities are senior living communities for those who need assistance with basic daily personal tasks, such as bathing and dressing themselves, toileting and maintaining proper dietary habits. Also, they may have mobility issues, difficulty managing medications by themselves and can be experiencing feelings of isolation, loneliness and depression. Assisted Living communities have medically trained personnel on staff that can attend to seniors that require special attention, and other support staff that assist seniors that need help with their daily personal tasks. Most seniors in Assisted Living are there because family or friends are concerned that they cannot continue living on their own due to their health and are concerned for their safety and well-being. Seniors still maintain a level of privacy and independence, but daily help and attention is always available when needed, and nearby.
Memory Care
A step up from Assisted Living is Memory Care. This is a specialized care facility for seniors experiencing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of age-related dementia. The decision to choose Memory Care for a senior is most often made by family members who are their caregivers, who find that their senior parents require more specialized care than they can take on, as it takes a physical, emotional and mental toll on the family. Memory Care does well with managing seniors with memory loss issues and helps them maintain a dignified quality of life while providing attention to their elevated and unique personal needs.
Today’s seniors are living more active lives for longer than they did in the 60s and 70s, and the terms ‘old folk’s home’ and ‘nursing home’ are best left back in the 20th century as well. Today’s seniors are better cared for in their golden years than ever, with the help of modern medicine, better technology and more options in levels of care in distinct senior communities that serve their specific needs.
As you search for senior living communities, knowing the differences between the options available means you won’t spend your retirement funds on a level of care you don’t need and you’re not ready for. Taking time to assess your current abilities and state of activeness and matching it with a level of senior care that meets your needs is the first step in making the most of your retirement years.
Recent Comments