Creating a fulfilling lifestyle requires making choices that align with your values and principles. This could include avoiding negative behaviors like unhealthy self-criticism or committing to healthy ones like exercising regularly.

Assisted living communities offer many opportunities to enhance physical health, mental stimulation and wellness, and social connections. These facilities also provide other essential services to promote a fulfilling lifestyle for seniors.

Socialization

Many older adults choose to move to assisted living, such as Senior Care Options, because they are starting to feel that their health is deteriorating and they can no longer safely handle the chores of home ownership. This can be very stressful for family members who may have been providing care.

Regular socialization promotes mental and emotional well-being and reduces the risk of depression and loneliness. It also improves fitness and lowers the risk of falling or injury.

Researchers recognize social ties’ critical role in shaping individuals’ health behaviors and outcomes. These ties are multifaceted, have cumulative effects throughout life, and vary across various dimensions such as race/ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation. This is why focusing on building and nurturing relationships is so important for public policy.

Health Care

Health determinants like access to healthy foods, quality housing, and healthcare can make all the difference in people’s overall health and well-being. It is also essential for individuals to have health literacy to understand the risks they face, including knowing when to seek medical attention.

Assisted living communities typically provide on-site access to healthcare. They may have physical or occupational therapy and nursing services that can help with medication management. Residents often have private apartments where they can cook or eat meals, but the monthly fee for the community also includes a robust program of daily activities and entertainment. For more information on these facilities, search online for ‘assisted living and memory care near me‘ or something similar.

Some communities also partner with local universities to bring professors into the community to teach classes on topics of their choosing, such as a six-week curriculum on medieval knights.

Meals

While there are differences, assisted living and nursing homes share the same mission to help their guests live fulfilling lives. Both provide a three-meal-a-day schedule, housekeeping services, and medication management.

At a quality assisted living community, talented executive chefs create healthy and delicious meals and make mealtimes a social event. When visiting a potential location, note how staff interact with residents at different times, like during activities or dining time, and ask about the menu options.

Each community has its style and feel, whether in an apartment-style residence or a home-like environment. When you visit a possible option, look around at different areas of the facility and see how clean they are. Pay attention to smells and noises as well.

Transportation

Transportation is the movement of people and things from one place to another. The growth of the ability—and the need—to transport large quantities of people and goods over long distances in comfort and safety has been a hallmark of civilization, especially technological progress.

Senior living communities offer convenient transportation services that relieve elders of the need to own a car and deal with its maintenance and other expenses. They may also have an on-site primary care practice that lets residents see their doctors without leaving the community.

This helps to reduce stress and improve the quality of life for seniors. It is also essential for seniors to stay physically active, which can help prevent falls, a leading cause of senior injuries. Many assisted living residences have exercise programs for this purpose.

Personal Care

Assisted living is a good option if you or your loved one need help with personal care, such as bathing and dressing, preparing meals, or going to the bathroom at night. However, a nursing home is better if you need more than that and round-the-clock medical attention.

Assisted living communities typically offer prepared meals, housekeeping and laundry services, transportation, security, and programming. Many residents also get individualized assistance with daily activities and medication management.

When you visit a facility, pay special attention to staffing patterns during activities and meal times. Ask how many staff members are on duty each time and how they interact with current residents. You can also ask a family member to join you during your visit. This will help you determine whether the community feels like home.

Jane