Once family members reach the ripe old age of seniority, there are many decisions that these seniors, along with family members, will have to make. Generally, these decisions are all geared towards them living the best quality of life. One of the most pressing decisions has to do with their care and living arrangements.
As much as children want to take care of their parents, this is easier said than done. Especially in places where household help isn’t common, these adults also have responsibilities of their own–surrounding work and their own children’s needs. Hence, the best option is for senior loved ones to live in an assisted living facility or a nursing home Lakewood area, if this is where you’re from.
Making this choice may be a tough one, but there are actually many promising benefits that seniors can get out with this kind of arrangement, such as the following:
1. Enables Seniors To Have Help With Daily Activities
Depending on the physical strength and condition of your senior family members, there are those who may already need help with their daily activities. These include taking a shower, cleaning, cooking, and even shopping for their food supply.
When these seniors experiencing that difficulty move to assisted living facilities, they’ll get the proper support that they need. That way, their daily life won’t be as difficult.
Most importantly, it can prevent unwanted accidents, simply because they forced themselves to do things by themselves, even when their physical capacity to do so is limited. You’ll also know that your senior family members have proper nutrition because there’s someone with them making sure that they eat well.
2. Gives Seniors A Chance To Socialize
When people get older, it’s common to feel isolated from the rest of the world. Seniors get this, too, and, unfortunately, this isn’t emotionally and mentally good for them.
If you leave your senior loved ones in their own homes, they’ll be so alone. If something happens to them, no one will know right away. They’ll have no friends to share stories with and to let out their emotions.
In an assisted living facility, your senior family members will belong to a community. They’re surrounded by other people their age with whom they can relate and share stories with.
3. Enables Seniors To Feel A Sense Of Independence
While there are medical professionals in an assisted living facility who are around to lend a helping hand and assist with the needs of the senior residents, this doesn’t mean that these healthcare professionals do everything for them. There’s always that balance with giving the right assistance while at the same time keeping distance to provide a bit of independence.
In an assisted living facility, this feeling of independence is still there. It enables seniors to live carefree, giving help only when it’s necessary. This is a much better arrangement than for your seniors to stay at home with full-time help who does every single for them. For others, this can leave the senior feeling useless and irrelevant.
4. Results In Increased Activity
Assisted living facilities are also rich in activities that can make residents busy. These include anything from cooking, gardening, knitting, yoga, light exercises, and socials night.
Depending on the assisted living facility you opt for, there are also those that have free transportation services. Hence, seniors can go to the grocery, salon, bank, or hospital with more ease.
This increased mobility benefits not just their physical health, but their mental health as well. It keeps them on top of everything they still want to do–outside of their apartment or room.
5. Keeps Seniors Well-Fed
With assisted living facilities, you won’t have to worry about your loved ones lacking the nutrition they’ll need. For those who can no longer cook by themselves, there’s a dedicated cook and nutritionist as a part of the services offered. Hence, you have that assurance that your loved ones aren’t just well-fed, but they also have access to delicious meals.
Plus, there are also dining rooms that encourage seniors to eat with others, which means that mealtime becomes a fun event. Thus, they don’t have to feel so isolated, eating in their own apartment all the time.
Conclusion
With all these benefits enumerated, hopefully, these are enough to guide you in your choice of a living arrangement for senior family members and consider the possibility of assisted living.
If you think that these benefits are something that can work well for you and your family, then this option might be the most viable one for you. That way, on the days when you aren’t able to provide the care yourself, you can rest assured that your loved ones are in the hands of an expert.