Helping a parent or parents make the decision to move out of their home is not easy. A great many memories must be left behind such as dining room tables where holiday meals were enjoyed, a backyard tree that was planted when kids were little, a front porch from which the comings and goings of the neighborhood were part of the daily routine. While kids are saddened about being unable to return to their childhood home, parents worry that they’ll be leaving their independence behind. There are, however, assisted living programs that allow seniors to live as independently as they would like while still having access to medical services, food service, laundry, and housekeeping.
How Assisted Living Residences Differ From Nursing Homes
Nursing homes provide 24 hour access to nursing care, monitoring of medications, food service, laundry, housekeeping, and social activities. Resident rooms in nursing homes are generally primarily sleeping and restroom spaces only and do not have living rooms or kitchens. In supportive living facilities, residents have their own apartments where they can live as independently as they choose while still having access to large common spaces in the building for social gathering. Supportive living, while providing restaurant style food service, also allows seniors to maintain their own kitchen for cooking or entertaining.
Growing Need for Senior Living Options
As approximately 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day, there is a growing need for residences that bridge the gap between home ownership and full-time nursing home care. Owning and maintaining a home is challenging even for able bodied adults. And even if you hire out lawn service, snow removal, and housekeeping, something is always in need of repair or updating. Calls to service people for fixing a light, water heater, air conditioning, appliance, roof, siding. You get the picture. Just because a senior could manage all this doesn’t mean they want to. Life can be so much simpler in affordable senior living residences. An assisted living program allows seniors to simplify their lives and spend less time and energy on home and lawn maintenance. Additionally, seniors can be surrounded by a community with similar interests.
No Car? No Problem
Seniors who have the ability to manage day-to-day living tasks but can not drive are ideal candidates for assisted living programs. Many of these facilities have barbershops and salons, post and parcel services, movie theater, nail salon, pool, dry cleaning, exercise facilities, outdoor recreation, and transportation to nearby shopping and medical appointments. For seniors whose children live far away or even across town, having all these services available under one roof makes it so easy for seniors to manage most every aspect of daily life.
Advantages for Children of Seniors
Not that you don’t love your parent(s), but being available to them for daily needs in their own home is a real challenge if you travel a lot for business or have a family of your own. Assisted living facilities handle so many of those needs in a more timely manner. Weekend visits can be more social and less work. And when parents are recovering from surgery, the assurance that medical care is available quickly is a huge relief. Many of these facilities have portions of their facility dedicated for short-term additional care for these types of situations.
When the time comes for an aging parent or parents to leave their own nest, rest assured there are a growing number of communities suited to their needs. They can live as independently as they would like along with a little extra help when needed.
