A challenging part of life is the fear of the unknown. This worry surely is true for making a choice to move oneself or a spouse into an assisted living community. Lots of people don't really understand what life in an assisted living community is like. Instead they depend on pre-conceived suggestions (more like stigmas) that have developed over time. Becoming comfortable with a community, the staff, and its occupants may help seniors adjust to their new way of living. Nervousness is often times overcome as the occupant assimilates into his / her new everyday living routine. Once within their new home, residents can find joy that surpasses what they have experienced in years.
Below are a few of the most common misunderstandings connected with assisted living.
1. I will lose my freedom! In fact, most residents who reside within assisted living communities realize that they're experiencing much more freedom than when they were residing in their homes. Upon relocating into an assisted living community, day-to-day tasks are a thing of the past. You can forget house-work, doing the bills, or even cooking. In cases where one was housebound or at the mercy of a friend or loved one to go anywhere, one can now go where and when they desire utilizing the provided transportation. Numerous residents still drive and therefore are welcome to come and go as they wish. Finally, if they have been taking care of another elderly individual at home such as a spouse, sister, or relative, that care is now taken over by the personnel inside the community.
2. I don't want to stay with a bunch of sick people. The most common assisted living resident is usually a senior citizen that has suffered a mild decline in their overall health. This can be brought on by a personal injury, an ailment, or simply just due to aging. They might encounter challenges to do certain everyday functions such as bathing or dressing, or they are not as sharp mentally as they used to be. However, the majority of occupants are not sick or bedridden.
3. I will lose my privacy. Many aging adults have concerns about their personal privacy within a communal living environment filled with unrelated people. Assisted living communities are created to provide utmost privacy for occupants while also promoting a warm and friendly social atmosphere. Most assisted living communities have large dining rooms, and great rooms for meeting new people and for activities. However, occupants who're in search of solitude can simply find it within the privacy of their own suite or apartment. Several communities accommodate 2 residents to an apartment, while some offer only private rooms.
4. I don't do activities. Activities are always voluntary and no one is forced to do anything they do not want to do. Many people find that even when they do not want to do an activity, they do like the companionship of other people.
5. It will cost too much. Assisted Living Communities are available in many price ranges and can vary from $2,500 to $6,000 a month or more, depending on your geographical area and also the care you need. What a lot of potential residents fail to recognize is that in today's world, it literally costs thousands of dollars to keep up a personal home. If you think of merely the primary expenses related to living in a private home: property taxes, repair, groceries, along with the utilities, one can easily quickly recognize that an assisted living community may actually cost less than remaining in one's home.
6. The food will be poor. There can be a large difference in food services from community to community. It is very important to be an informed customer in order to find the appropriate fit for you or your loved ones appetite and diet plan. Prior to making a final choice with regards to location, you should visit at meal times, test their food, and take notice of the quality of the mealtime experience.
7. I'll never see my children or friends again. This is certainly a stigma from the past. Nearly all assisted living communities have an open door policy that allows guest visitation anytime unlike their nursing home predecessors. An assisted living community is "home" for the resident and ought to be treated as such. Friends may visit any time and can usually stay for as long as they desire. In fact, family and friends will often be encouraged to participate in the activities that are offered. A number of communities even enable residents to arrange for transport to visit their friends and families.
We hope that you will look past some of these fallacies of the past and view assisted living with an open mind. We are confident that you will be happy that you did.
No comments:
Post a Comment