Getting old is a privilege. It’s something that few of us look forward to, but that we want far more than the alternative. However, as we get older, it’s almost as though our lives start to happen in reverse. Our independence grew when we were teenagers, and now it’s starting to decline. Our abilities to care for ourselves, manage our finances, and even carry out the basics around the house can also begin to slip away. Even if we are in good health, at some point, life becomes more of a struggle, and we start to need more help to be able to maintain a positive quality of life.
If your parents or other older relatives are starting to need more help, you may be keen to do it yourself. To start with, you can get by popping round when you can to take care of their needs, or drive them into town for the things that they need. But eventually, they need more help. Your first choice might be to move them into your home, but this isn’t always possible, and if you have your own family, a job and other responsibilities, as hard as it might be, you may struggle to give them the care that they need.
At this point, one of the best options that you should consider is moving them into an assisted living Costa Mesa community. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of assisted living for your loved ones.
What is Assisted Living?
An assisted living residence, or community, is usually a large facility, where older people, or sometimes younger people with disabilities, move when they can no longer, or no longer want to, live on their own. These facilities aren’t hospitals, but they do have medical staff to provide specific care and support. But, unlike a hospital, they have a greater focus on promoting independence and creating a true community. While the majority of residents at a community like Brandywine Living are there because they require greater care, some are just seeking friendship, community, and more significant social interaction.
An Invigorated Social Life
Loneliness is a genuine problem for many older people. Post-retirement, it can be hard to maintain a social life, and friends start to drift apart. As hard as you might try to visit your older relatives, visits from family aren’t the same as having a friendship group of your peers.
Moving into assisted living gives older people a great way to make new friends, to connect with the community, and to start having fun again. The best assisted living facilities provide a fantastic range of activities, opportunities to learn, and plenty of chances for the residents to have fun with their friends.
Families are also encouraged to visit as often as they can, and residents will be supported to get out into the wider community and to visit their family at home.
Specialist Care
Some older people require specific care for health conditions and disabilities. You may not have the skills to do this at home, but assisted living communities do. Some offer staff with specific training and can care for residents with severe conditions who couldn’t possibly continue to live alone. This level of care can allow residents a much better quality of life, and perhaps even extend their lives.
24/7 Care
Unfortunately, illnesses don’t follow a schedule. You never know when a condition could take a turn for the worse, or when a new symptom might present. This becomes even truer as we get older, and our bodies start to struggle.
In an assisted living facility, your loved ones will get 24/7 care from staff and healthcare professionals. Whatever happens, and whenever it happens, there will be someone on-site to help. You’ll never need to worry about getting them a doctor’s appointment, or about something happening when they are alone.
Promotion of Independence
You might think that the best way to maintain independence would be to stay living alone at home. But, in many cases, this is wrong. At home alone, older people often start to require more help quickly. They become lonely and scared to leave the house. They don’t know where to turn, and so they stop doing anything.
When people live in assisted living, they are encouraged and supported to live independently, to follow their hobbies, to enjoy spending time with their friends, to take care of themselves as much as possible, and even to leave the facility.
A Healthy Diet
Eating at home when you are starting to struggle with cooking and shopping can be hard. Many older people begin to suffer from malnutrition as they stick to basic meals that they can manage. In an assisted living community, they’ll never have to worry. All of their meals will be provided, and their diet will be both nutritious and delicious.
Increased Safety
Another struggle for many older people, especially as their memory starts to decline, is staying safe at home. They may start to forget things like locking the door, and their safety can be a big concern to their loved ones. Moving into a community means that security will never be a problem.
Privacy
The staff at these communities understand the value of continued privacy and dignity. They won’t push your loved ones, nor will they treat them like children. They’ll be allowed the privacy that they need to enjoy their lives as they wish.
Peace of Mind
One of the biggest benefits of assisted living is perhaps the peace of mind that it brings to a resident’s loved ones. Moving someone that you care about out of their homes is a tough decision, but having the peace of mind that they are safe, protected, and looked after can make it easier.
As time goes by, you may notice that an older relative is starting to show signs of ill health, mental decline, loneliness, or problems living alone. When this time comes, don’t panic. It certainly doesn’t have to mean that their quality of life declines. It might just mean that it’s time for an exciting new chapter, living in a caring and friendly community with people of their own age.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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