Senior living communities offer peace of mind along with a variety of additional benefits for residents. From a safe environment to healthy nutrition and ample opportunities for socializing, senior living can improve a senior’s quality of life as compared to living at home alone. Knowing a loved one is part of a community also allows adult children and families to relax and worry less.
This is true whether you are an active senior searching for an independent living community or an adult child trying to find an assisted living or memory care community for a parent. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why quality of life is so dramatically affected by where you live after you retire.
Reasons to Consider a Move to a Senior Living Community
- Live meaningful days: After the kids are grown and gone, and you’ve left the working world behind, it might be more difficult to make your days productive and meaningful. But living with purpose is an important part of wellness. Senior living communities offer easy access to fitness classes, volunteer opportunities, and social activities. Residents can participate in as many—or as few—as they choose to each day. Depending on the type of senior living you select, it’s common to find a variety of programs and events like travel groups, yoga, Zumba, painting groups, movie nights, and religious services happening every day.
- Reside in a secure environment: Families often fret about a senior loved one’s safety on a variety of levels. There are concerns that the older adult will fall victim to crime, such as a break-in or identity theft. Or that they will experience a medical emergency and be unable to call for help. Another worry is that a family member will fall, especially when they are home alone. Falls are a leading cause of serious injury among seniors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says three million older adults are admitted to a hospital emergency room each year for fall-related injuries. The safety and security offered by senior communities can help reduce these worries.
- Have access to care and support: Another factor to consider is access to both personal care and health-related services. Because most of us will need more assistance as we grow older, it’s important to plan for current and future needs. For example, you may not feel safe driving anymore and will appreciate having transportation services available. In the future, having assistance with medication or support getting in and out of the shower could bring you and your family members peace of mind.
- Stay active and engaged: There’s plenty of evidence to show how isolation and loneliness negatively impact mental and physical health as we age. Isolated older adults are at higher risk for issues such as heart disease, depression, diabetes, cognitive decline, and obesity. Early mortality is also linked to isolation. The social opportunities and friendships found in senior living communities can help combat the negative health consequences of isolation and loneliness.
- Enjoy your freedom: Owning a home can become a burden for seniors and their adult children. But routine maintenance tasks such as cleaning the gutters and painting the trim can be expensive to hire out. Expenses like lawn care and snow removal, homeowner’s insurance, taxes, and utilities can quickly add up too. And asking busy family members for help isn’t something many seniors like to do. By moving to a senior living community, these burdens are lifted. You will be free to spend your time and money on a lifestyle that gives you the opportunity to travel, spend time with loved ones, and pursue new hobbies.
You can learn more by visiting a Sunrise Senior Living community in person! Visit the Sunrise Senior Living website today, to find a community near you.