Many of lives transitions are very difficult. A recent career in America is aimed at helping one of these transitions. Life coaches that help families make choices about selecting an assisted living community or other kind of elder housing environment aims to help families make one of the most difficult life transitions: moving a loved one from their private home into a care facility.
Sometimes the guidance of someone outside of the family can help everyone involved look at things objectively and with a clear head. A black and white list of the advantages and disadvantages of different options can help families feel more confident about their decision. Once the final decision has been made these elder care life coaches can also provide families with many tips that will help make the actual move and the first few days less stressful and and more comforting.
Senior Living Communities with a Variety of Care Options Allow Residents to Progress Through the Phases that Work Best for Them
An assisted living community is one of the first places that some people move to when they are no longer able to live on their own. With independent apartments that allow residents to enjoy their own private space where they can cook for themselves if they wish, an assisted living community can also provide meals, cleaning services, and social activities.
Because many women live longer than men, it should come as no surprise that the population in many residential care centers for the elderly are comprised of 74% females and only 26% males. Because of this disproportion, many seniors enjoy the opportunity to live in a group setting where they are able to enjoy the company of others their age.
Even though some seniors are in fairly good health, the job of maintaining a home and a yard are often simply too much. For these residents, moving into an assisted living community can be a perfect solution. Still getting the independence that they want, these healthy and active residents can find friends and activities right outside their doors. The fact that many facilities offer a variety of stages of care means that residents can move when they need additional assistance. Some facilities have independent care locations all the way through alzheimer and memory care locations. When a family knows that their aging loved one will be able to transition from one location to another it can make the initial move out of a home much easier.
Consider some of the facts about aging in today’s society and decide if it os time for your family to start researching the future care needs of parents or other aging relative:
- 63 is he average age for retirement in America.
- 48% of retirees indicate being happier in retirement than they expected.
- 81% of retirees cite good health as the most important ingredient for a happy retirement.
- The happiest retirees regularly participate in three to four activities.
- The least happy retirees only participate in one or two activities
- 89.3% of independent living residents rate their overall satisfaction as either good or excellent.
Families Should Take Advantage of All Available Resources When Making Retirement Home Decisions
Many transitions in life are difficult. Families have to adjust when there youngest children go off to preschool and elementary school, and they have to adjust again when those same children grow and move to college. Newly married couples adjust to living together and sometimes moving far away from their family support systems. At the other end of the spectrum, families also adjust when a loved one has to move out of their own home and into a retirement or care center.
Given that as many as 75% of assisted living residents have had at least two of the 10 most common chronic conditions, families want to find a place the provides qualified medical care and oversight, as well as an engaging social environment. Caring for high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias are often the most prevalent needs that many senior care residents need, so understanding the strengths of a possible facility can make family members and resident feel good about these necessary late in life transitions.