6 Things You Get With Assisted Living That You Can't Get At Home
by Tony Grant
As you age, you may find it more challenging to live alone in your own home. When looking at alternative living arrangements, you don't have to lose your independence. Moving into an assisted living facility allows you to retain your independence while giving you many things you can't get from living alone. Here are some things you can expect to gain with the assisted living option.
Help With Housework
Taking care of your own home can become a burden. You may find yourself ignoring the dishes in the sink for days and letting the laundry pile up. You could become sad, and even depressed, as you watch your home become untidy as you struggle to just do the minimum housekeeping tasks. At an assisted living facility, you can do as much as you can and people are then available help with the rest of the work.
Meal Preparation
Nutrition is important as your body ages because of the changes in the way it uses food. A healthy diet keeps you feeling energetic and active. A poor diet can make you feel sluggish and apathetic. In a facility you'll have help, from buying groceries to preparing all of your meals for you. You'll get the healthy diet you need to stay active in your senior years.
Social Interaction
You may feel less like going out to meet people as you age in your own home. Social interaction is important to keep your mood positive and your mind sharp. Assisted living centers have many social events planned that you can participate in each week. A short stroll across a courtyard may be all it takes to join others in dancing, gaming, taking art classes or just having coffee with friends to talk about current events.
Transportation
Many seniors find that they eventually have to give up driving. This leaves you at home to get a ride with family, friends or a taxi service to your medical appointments or to do grocery shopping. Most facilities have their own senior transportation to take you to and from your doctor's appointments. They may offer outings to shopping centers and local parks and other attractions. There will also be someone who can arrange special transportation for you that works best with your schedule.
Medication Management
If you've ever had moments wondering whether you've taken your morning medications, you know how uncomfortable that can feel. Getting help with your medications at an assisted living center is easy. You'll have the peace of mind knowing that your medication needs are covered no matter how challenging it gets remembering which pills you're taken.
Safety Concerns
One real concern for seniors living alone is falling and hurting themselves. It's a frustrating thought that you may lie on the floor for some time before someone finds you to get help. Moving into a facility where you always have help takes that fear away. On those days where you may feel unsteady on your feet, there is someone close by to help you get around safely.
Talk with an assisted living facility like Casa De Palomas for more information about how this lifestyle could benefit you.
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About Me
When you're facing putting your loved one into a nursing home or assisted living facility, you want to make the best possible choice for your loved one. That can be difficult when you don't know much about the nursing homes in your area, or about what you should be looking for in a nursing home to begin with. It's a good idea to tour as many facilities in your area as possible to get an idea of which ones you like, but you still need to know what the signs of a good or bad nursing home are. I used to work as a kitchen assistant in long term care facilities, and I learned a lot about them during that time. I started this blog to share some of my insights into what makes a nursing home great, and how to spot problems in a facility that you're considering.