Top 7 Benefits Of Moving To Assisted Living

Assisted living offers many benefits to senior residents, families, and caregivers. It’s a great option for seniors who need daily help but still want to live independently.

Assisted living communities also provide numerous activities that are tailored to each resident’s specific needs and interests. They may include social, creative, and spiritual opportunities.

1. Safety

If you’re a senior looking for a place to live, safety is one of the biggest concerns you will have. Assisted living and retirement communities are designed to help seniors maintain their independence while offering security measures to prevent break-ins and scams.

Typically, there are wide hallways with handrails in each direction, low- or no-entry walk-in showers, grab bars in bathrooms, and good lighting to reduce the risk of falls. This makes it easier for senior residents to move around the community and stay independent for longer.

Another key safety feature in senior housing is 24/7 security. The staff is trained to monitor the community and provide assistance in emergencies.

This can include responding to alarms in apartments, public restrooms, or even at entrances and exits of the community. Some communities also have personal emergency call systems that are accessible from every room and apartment in the facility, so residents can seek help at any time night or day.

A wellness program is another important factor in keeping both the residents and staff safe at assisted living facilities. It helps to reduce the workload of staff members, which in turn contributes to less stress and injury.

2. Security

Assisted living facilities use security officers and alarm systems to ensure that all members of the community are safe. This provides peace of mind to both residents and staff.

Seniors are often a target for break-ins and theft. In addition, they are at risk for wandering off or elopement, which can lead to elder abuse and harm.

A good facility will provide a wide range of safety measures, such as a staff-to-resident ratio, proper training, and adherence to procedures and regulations. They also have a culture of safety and a robust emergency preparedness plan.

For example, they may have a nurse who visits every day to ensure that the resident is healthy and has their medications taken properly. They also have safety measures in place to reduce the likelihood of falls, such as flat thresholds and hallway hand railings.

Besides safety, a good facility will have a strong culture of care and support, including trained and certified nursing assistants. These professionals will help seniors with daily activities, such as getting out of bed, dressing, and taking medications. This can be a vital benefit for older adults who want to live their lives as independently as possible.

3. Help With Daily Needs

Assisted living is a great option for those who need help with daily activities. It provides a range of services that can help seniors maintain independence while receiving assistance with certain activities, such as taking medication or bathing.

The benefits of assisted living include nutritious daily meals, scheduled transportation to appointments, and social opportunities. In addition, these communities often offer exercise rooms, beauty parlors, and other amenities to promote health and well-being.

A recent study by the AARP found that 87% of residents and 78% of family members who have moved to an assisted living community say they are satisfied with their experience in this type of housing.

When choosing an assisted living facility, consider your loved one’s needs and budget. Some facilities have higher prices than others. Also, keep in mind that rates may rise as you or your loved one’s condition changes.

4. Entertainment

Assisted living communities and other senior living centers provide a variety of entertainment options for residents. This can include live performances, music, art classes, and more.

The benefits of entertainment are numerous, including pain reduction, socialization, and emotional stimulation. While some activities may only be available for a short amount of time, others can be ongoing for long-term residents.

For instance, a live musical performance can be enjoyed by both temporary and permanent residents. For seniors who are experiencing memory loss, music can help them relax and stay connected with the people they love.

While it’s important to offer group activities, you can also focus on individualized engagement. Many long-term residents aren’t physically able to leave their rooms, so you should find ways to engage them one-on-one as well.

In addition, you can make use of Smart TVs to keep your residents and visitors updated on a wide range of events. This can be a great way to save time for your activity staff and give residents a sense of community.

The system can automatically select the appropriate entertainment media for elderly people based on their context. This mode of interaction is different than the other two modes that are initiated by the caregiver or the elderly person themselves.

5. Adaptable Exercise

Adaptive exercise is an important component of health and wellness. It can help people with disabilities improve their strength and reduce pain. Whether you have arthritis, a spinal cord injury, or any other condition, you can benefit from adaptive exercise.

Having physical activity is one of the best ways to prevent and manage many chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. It also can strengthen bones, and muscles and improve coordination.

It can also make you feel better about yourself. Studies show that exercise can be therapeutic for people with a disability, improving their independence, sense of purpose, and quality of life.

A recent study found that residents who practiced sit-to-stand exercises had fewer declines in functional measures than control groups. This is because these exercise techniques encourage independence and reduce dependence on caregivers for transfers.

Adaptive exercise is an important way to get older adults into a habit of exercise. It can improve their physical and mental well-being, improve their quality of life and increase their social interaction.

6. Intellectual Stimulation

Assisted living offers seniors the opportunity to engage in activities that stimulate their minds. These activities can include reading, playing games, or doing arithmetic exercises. Performing these exercises helps keep seniors mentally active and prevents cognitive decline.

Keeping your mind sharp and focused can prevent mental health issues such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. This is why intellectual stimulation activities are popular among seniors.

Leadership scholars argue that transformational leaders use intellectual stimulation to inspire followers to think differently and act in innovative ways. Specifically, these leaders stimulate their followers’ imagination and creativity and challenge assumptions and preconceived notions.

Leaders who are transformational often take risks and solicit their followers’ ideas, which leads to greater team and organizational success. They also encourage followers to think independently and become autonomous so they can make decisions on their own.

The full-range leadership model, espoused by Bass and Burns, outlines eight leadership factors: individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, receptiveness, idealized power, decentralized control, and social responsibility.

This study tests whether leadership intellectual stimulation is associated with team learning and if team positive affect mediates this relationship. It finds that leadership intellectual stimulation has a positive and significant direct effect on team learning, which is partially mediated by team positive affect.

7. Healthy Food

Assisted living communities offer a wide variety of healthy foods that are designed specifically for seniors’ health and nutrition needs. Using fresh ingredients and recipes, culinary teams create meals that are flavorful and nutritious.

Meals can be tailored to a senior’s specific dietary needs, including low-sodium, diabetic, and high-cholesterol diets. They also include foods that are rich in potassium to help lower blood pressure, as well as fruits and vegetables that contain fiber for digestive health.

Another important aspect of a well-balanced diet is to drink plenty of water. Keeping a senior hydrated will keep them more alert and improve their quality of life.

A well-balanced diet can also help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Foods that are low in sodium and contain potassium can also help prevent these diseases.

Eating healthy meals can be difficult, especially for those with health conditions or a diminished appetite. But when seniors are able to participate in creating their own meals, it can increase social engagement and give them a sense of accomplishment.

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