As people grow older, they start to develop various disabilities and illnesses. This can make managing them quite difficult. If you are fortunate enough, you will not have to come across this stage of life and instead, just require minimal help and resources. It is for elderly people like this that assisted living facilities exist.
Being an alternative to nursing homes, albeit a less recommended one, assisted living facilities aim to provide the elderly with community and comfort they cannot get anywhere else.
The main issue that a lot of people have against these types of facilities is that they do not have any medical or nursing care. This raises the question,” what do assisted living facilities provide?” Well, generally speaking, here is what you can expect from an assisted living facility:
• Personal Care
• Security
• Transportation
• Recreational Activities
• Assistance with Daily Activities
• Sense of community and family
• Independence, Free Time & Fun
This article will go over all of the benefits of an assisted living facility. Learning about them may help you decide whether they are a good place for you to admit your elderly loved one.
Personal Care
One of the main things that you should be clear about is that assisted living facilities are not a substitute for nursing homes. They lack the medical care and specialized nature of nursing homes which make them a bad choice if the elderly person suffers from serious illnesses or disability.
Alternatively, if the elderly person requires minimal care then assisted living facilities are a cheaper and better choice. Not only do they have attendants who can personally attend to the elders, but they can also engage in personal training sessions and grooming. This makes sure that they are given the care that they specifically require.
Security
Another thing that a lot of people are concerned about is the elderly wandering outside and getting hurt or getting robbed. One thing you can be certain about is that top-tier assisted living facilities have great security in place.
The security measures in place include cameras, security doors, and staff. All of this will ensure that your elderly are kept as safe as possible.
It also guarantees that they do not get out of the facility and get injured in the process. The security protocols can vary from facility to facility, so always check to see if the facility on your mind has a good security detail.
Transportation
At their age, it becomes quite difficult for senior citizens to able to navigate around town. This assumes that they are just walking. It is another hassle and danger entirely if they are to drive to their destination.
To avoid the threat of an accident while outside, many assisted living facilities offer transportation to specific locations. This form of reliable transportation ensures that the elderly easily reach their doctor’s appointments or events.
Assisted living facilities also make sure that the senior citizens are able to reach their destination on time, whether it be a dinner party or a trip to the department store.
Recreational Activities
There can be a lot fewer activities to engage in when you are old. This is mainly because your body is not what it was years ago, limiting your daily activities marginally. While there is a social stigma that senior citizens only play Bingo, and that is true, there are various other activities that assisted living facilities provide to the elderly.
These activities make sure that they are kept physically fit and have a good time. All of this is done in a way that guarantees their safety and mitigates and risk of injury. These activities may also vary from one facility to another, so make sure you get all of this information beforehand.
Assistance with Daily Activities
Senior citizens also struggle with day-to-day activities. These can be simple activities such as eating and cleaning or more tedious activities such as getting around town. While I have already talked about transportation, you may be wondering if the elderly are given any form of help in their daily activities.
You will be glad to know that assisted living facilities also provide basic assistance to the elderly in their care. This is visible from the delicious meals that they are given and the compassionate and professional caretakers present on site. It is these caretakers that will help residents with their activities of daily living.
Sense of community and family
As time goes on, old people often get detached from reality and start to suffer from loneliness and depression. This is because either they cannot spend enough time with their family or because their family abandons them outright. By living at an assisted living facility, they can avoid this type of depression.
Interaction with other senior citizens and the staff can give them the attention and human interaction that they need to stay happy. The staff and the people around them act as surrogate families and always have each other’s well-being at heart, creating a cheerful and fun environment.
Independence, Free Time & Fun
Speaking of fun, a lack of it can also cause various mental health issues, and that is something senior citizens cannot have. Fun and independence go hand in hand to give a cheerful and quality experience. This is the reason why many assisted living facilities to promote a carefree and enjoyable lifestyle for their residents.
By having all of their needs kept in check, the residents don’t have to worry about their daily needs and instead enjoy their time by taking up new hobbies. A good assisted facility will allow the elderly to do what they always wanted to do and carry out more tasks that they enjoy doing.
Conclusion
While they are not a good fit for the elderly who are in need of serious medical care, assisted living facilities are still a pretty good choice overall. They are less chosen for their lack of medical supervision, and they are a great choice if your elderly loved one does not require 24/ 7 care.
In many cases, nursing homes can feel like hospitals for old people and often have little to do when it comes to enjoyment. This leaves the door open for assisted living facilities as they allow residents to have fun while also getting about and communing with other residents.