Finding Peace Of Mind In Senior Living
Peace of mind can be hard to come by at any age, but particularly as you get older. Many seniors now live alone- about 29 percent of those over 65 according to the Administration on Aging – which can be intimidating as you may worry about safety with evolving health needs, security, managing the household and so on. But it’s important to note that just because you happen to live alone doesn’t mean you have to be alone. Senior living offers numerous benefits that can help you feel more secure.
Common Dangers of Living Alone
Whether you’re living alone as a necessity or a choice, there are some things to keep in mind:
Two of the biggest risks for seniors are falls and medication errors. The CDC reports that nearly a third of U.S. seniors fall each year and about half of all falls that require hospitalization take place at home. A National Institutes of Health study also found that as many as 55 percent of seniors take their medications incorrectly.
Proper nutrition for seniors is a crucial. The problem is it can be complicated – aging bodies need more of certain nutrients, metabolism slows, palate and digestion may change and chronic conditions or medications may require dietary restrictions. That perhaps is why senior malnutrition costs the United States $51.3 billion a year according to the Alliance on Aging Research.
Alone time isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, social isolation occurs when you become physically or psychologically detached, or are disconnected from friends and community. According to the AARP Foundation, social isolation affects more than 8 million seniors and it’s as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. One of the risk factors is living alone.
Living alone puts the full responsibility of managing the home on your shoulders, especially financially. From unexpected repairs and maintenance to safety and accessibility modifications to day-to-day upkeep it’s a lot to pay for and manage. What’s more, scams are a particular concern with seniors losing $36.48 billion each year to fraud or exploitation according to a True Link Report on Elder Financial Abuse.
How Senior Living Can Help
- First, it’s important to break the stereotype that senior living equates to a nursing home. In fact, senior living is an umbrella term for a continuum of care that includes retirement living, assisted living, memory care and nursing care. Here’s how this benefits you:
- You’ll have just the right amount of support and assistance to foster your independence and help you manage your health, particularly in a community like Richfield that offers the full continuum of care on one campus.
- These communities are designed specifically for seniors with safety features such as emergency alert systems, grab bars, ramps, transportation and generators as standard.
- You’ll enjoy a worry-free lifestyle with housekeeping, laundry and maintenance taken care of along with amenities such as pools and fitness centers.
- There are endless opportunities to make connections and pursue your interests with monthly calendars full of clubs, classes, events and outings along with plenty of common areas to host friends and family.
- Dining can be enjoyable again with nutritious, delicious meals prepared by a dining staff that knows your restrictions and/or preferences, often in collaboration with a nutritionist or dietician, and in a restaurant-style setting with friends.
- You’ll have more predictability over how, when and what you can expect to pay in senior living. Plus, once you compare the total cost of living at home — mortgage or rent as well as food, utilities, home maintenance — senior living may actually cost less as these costs are often included!