If your aging family member struggles with everyday tasks, medication management, or mobility, it’s time to reevaluate their living situation. An assisted living facility can provide help with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing, personal hygiene, and eating, while also offering opportunities for socialization, assistance with housekeeping, and other benefits.
An assisted living facility is a residential option for older adults who require help with ADLs but do not need 24/7 monitoring or medical care. The community in an assisted living facility is usually comprised of private apartments, but with everything necessary to lead a safe, enriching, and mostly independent lifestyle with staff available to provide extra help where it’s needed.
Assisted Living Compared to Other Senior Living Options
Senior living is a spectrum, with some options offering higher levels of care and more services than others. Broadly speaking, assisted living facilities fall in the middle of the most common senior living options.
The assisted living lifestyle is well-suited for older adults who are still largely self-sufficient but are:
- at risk of falling
- taking medications improperly
- showing early signs of cognitive decline
- lonely or socially isolated
It may also be time to consider choosing an assisted living facility if you feel overwhelmed by your caregiving responsibilities or can no longer provide the level of care your loved one needs.
Benefits of Assisted Living
Even after accepting that they need assistive care, many older adults are still understandably nervous about moving to an assisted living facility and leaving a home full of memories and personal belongings. It can be an emotional and guilt-inducing decision for caregivers, too. Therefore, it’s important to transition slowly and focus on the many benefits of assisted living care, such as:
- Help with daily tasks: The personalized care plans provided through assisted living mean seniors can get help with difficult tasks while maintaining independence in other areas of life. As their needs and limitations change, so does their care plan.
- Social interaction with peers: Isolation and loneliness can be significant challenges for seniors. Assisted living facilities provide many opportunities to meet, interact, and connect with other older adults, reducing loneliness and often leading to lasting friendships.
- Safe and secure living: Safety features such as handrails, walk-in showers, non-slip flooring, and emergency call buttons reduce fall risk and other medical emergencies. Safety locks, secure entry points, emergency generators, and fire suppression systems protect seniors from non-medical threats.
- Better brain health: Residents can learn new skills and lower their risk of dementia and cognitive decline by participating in book clubs, card games, art and music classes, and other creative and intellectually stimulating activities.
- Well-balanced meals: For seniors struggling with appetite or nutritional intake, all-inclusive dining plans offer healthy and diverse menu options and accommodate dietary restrictions to help maintain a healthy diet.
- Flexible fitness programs: Personalized exercise plans and group classes allow for supervised, safe, convenient, and age-appropriate physical activity opportunities and encourage an active lifestyle.
- More time for what matters: Without the hassles of home maintenance, housekeeping, cooking, and finances, older adults can simplify their lives and focus on more enjoyable pursuits.
- Easy access to amenities: Many assisted living facilities offer transportation or on-site access to banking, salon, pharmacy, entertainment, and worship services. Having essential services and amenities within easy reach promotes independence, physical activity, social interaction, and general well-being.
- Peace of mind: Knowing your loved one lives in a safe, caring environment with around-the-clock support can help alleviate the stress and worries of being the primary caregiver.
If assisted living sounds like a good match for your current needs, contact Hazel Cypen Tower at Miami Jewish Health to learn more about our facility. We’d be delighted to schedule a tour and answer any questions you have about our services, pricing, and care philosophy.
