Assisted Living: More Than Just Senior Care
Many people experience health issues as they get older, with some requiring specialized medical treatment. But for those who don't need medical treatment, there can still be age-related issues that affect their everyday life.
Assisted living communities offer a suitable solution here. By understanding the benefits of assisted living, you can see why it might be the right choice for you or someone close to you.
Keep reading to find out more.
What Is Assisted Living?
Assisted living communities are designed with the purpose of providing a safe, comfortable, and convenient living opportunity for older adults. They allow people who may need additional help to remain independent in a home-like setting. This assistance is non-medical and can support people during activities of daily living (ADLs).
When someone lives in an assisted living community, they typically pay monthly to rent a room or a private apartment. There are then additional fees for the specific care needed.
Residents typically have access to common areas, which can include things such as:
- Dining areas
- Activity rooms
- libraries
- Pools
- Cinemas
- Walking trails
- More
They vary greatly, some being quite basic and others being luxurious. There is usually on-site staff 24 hours a day to provide meals, housekeeping, transportation, and anything else the residents need.
Understanding the Benefits of Assisted Living
Many people are often apprehensive about moving into an assisted living community. Despite that, there are various benefits that can make it a great choice.
Personalized Care
One of the main reasons for someone to live in an assisted living community is personalized care. Everyone has different needs, and getting the right help can be hugely impactful.
The assisted living community employees are fully trained and have the right interpersonal skills to assist residents properly, helping to ensure that everyone who moves into one of these communities can adjust easily and live comfortably.
Hands-on Assistance With Daily Activities
One of the main reasons people stay in an assisted living community is so that they can continue to live a normal life even if they need some help. A wide range of support can be available to accommodate people with all different needs, which helps ensure people can still do everyday tasks like:
- Housekeeping
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Laundry
Staff are trained, experienced, and respectful. They can provide hands-on assistance that ensures residents can live with dignity, regardless of what they need help with.
Safety and Security
One of the top priorities in assisted living communities is senior safety. As people get older, simple activities like driving and cooking can become hazardous.
Addington Place of Edwardsville promotes a safety culture, ensuring there's always enough staff with the right skills and training to provide the necessary assistance safely. This involves compliance with training, skills, and procedures to ensure everyone is up to date with the latest safety and security information.
Social Activities and Engagement
One thing that people tend to do less as they get older is maintain social interactions. Research has shown that people who don't have an active social life can experience more rapid memory decline.
Assisted living communities work to provide social activities for residents that allow them to interact with each other regularly. These can include things like book clubs, art therapy, gardening, and more. Not only do these give residents a good opportunity to interact with each other, but they may be able to continue with old hobbies or even take on new ones.
Comfortable, Home-Like Setting
Assisted living centers around making people comfortable and happy. It's far easier to do this if people live in a home-like environment.
Assisted living communities are designed to feel homely, which helps people adjust when moving into them and can make living there far more enjoyable.
A well-established assisted living community like Addington Place of Edwardsville is so pleasant that the residents will never want to leave. We provide various amenities such as in-room dining, scheduled transportation services, senior fitness programming, and weekly housekeeping services. We also provide 24-hour emergency maintenance services, so if any of our residents find any issues, they'll immediately get the help they need.
Independence and Fun
There are plenty of services available in assisted living communities, but your relative is likely to only need specific ones. This helps ensure residents can maintain a degree of freedom and independence at all times.
Many people think of assisted living communities as somewhere between a retirement community and a nursing home or hospital. These communities allow people to live independently but still get assistance when needed to ensure their comfort.
More Free Time
Living in an assisted living community typically gives a person more free time. They may not need to worry about tasks like home maintenance and housework, so they can spend more time doing what they enjoy.
If needed, they can even get assistance with more common tasks like cooking and cleaning. This allows them to spend more time doing things they actually want to.
Nutrition and Dining Options
Health is wealth, and it typically deteriorates with age. Maintaining a proper diet is vital if your loved one wants to remain healthy for as long as they can.
Assisted living communities employ skilled chefs who can prepare high-quality, nutritious meals for residents. Not only does this help ensure residents get a balanced diet, but they also won't get bored due to the variety of meal options.
Addington Place of Edwardsville
Understanding the benefits of assisted living highlights that it can be a great option for those who don't quite need to be in a nursing home. Addington Place of Edwardsville is one of the best assisted living communities in Illinois.
We provide quality dining, daily social activities, chauffeured transportation, weekly housekeeping, and on-site care services for our residents. We also have long-term and short-term stay options, allowing us to better meet the needs of our guests. Get in touch today to ask us any questions you have about our community.