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Planning to move yourself or a loved one out of their home and into a retirement community requires a lot of consideration. A retirement community can be an excellent place for many seniors, although not all seniors will thrive in a retirement community.
Understanding precisely what living in a retirement community entails is an essential part of the decision-making process. In this post, we will look at what living in a retirement community feels like and what are the facilities offered to seniors.
No two retirement communities are designed in the same way, so there is no hard and fast rule to tell you what to expect when you are checking out retirement homes.
Generally speaking, a retirement home is a community that is designed for adults aged fifty-five and older who are mostly independent. Retirement communities provide safe housing with a focus on community life.
A retirement community focuses on giving residents a strong sense of belonging and commits to helping seniors age well in a home life environment where they are considered a vital part of the community.
Since there are no guidelines to what size a retirement community should be, seniors can ensure that the community environment suits their needs. Some people prefer a retirement community that is large and busy, while others will prefer something small and personal.
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The facilities that a retirement community offers will contribute to the freedom and peace of mind of seniors and their families. For family members, they can relax knowing that their loved ones are being cared for by twenty-four-hour staff and aren't spending days alone. For seniors, they get the peace of mind knowing that they have the freedom to enjoy their golden years exploring new interests and activities, instead of worrying about the house and yard care.
Every retirement community is going to have a unique list of amenities that it offers. Some of the most common amenities that are offered include:
There is something soothing about being around people who can relate to you and what you have gone through in life. When a senior makes the decision to move into a retirement community, they are surrounded by people their age with similar life experiences. Being surrounded by people at the same stage of life helps to ensure that seniors feel supported and can find people who have similar interests. For example, many seniors who are living in a retirement community will have lost a spouse, allowing them to relate and connect to others.
Many retirement communities have groups of residents who get together in committees to help plan some of the retirement community's events and activities. This enables the residents to have a say in what is being offered to them. It also helps the retirement community to ensure it is meeting the needs of its residents.
The community and social resources that are available in the retirement community often improve the relationships that seniors have with their families. This is because seniors no longer feel reliant on their children or grandchildren to care for them, boosting their confidence, and encouraging healthy relationships. This also allows families to visit their loved ones without feeling burdened by having to do chores for the entire visit or worrying after they leave about their loved ones' wellbeing.
When an older adult lives on their own, they are vulnerable to a variety of things. Some of the risks to a senior living on their own in their private home include:
Senior living communities offer twenty-four-hour security and nursing care, ensuring that seniors will be protected while they can live healthy lives.
Security also comes in the form of knowing that there is always someone around. Social isolation, depression, and anxiety are all less prevalent in seniors who live in retirement communities compared to those who live in their own homes.
Retirement communities have nurses on staff that are available twenty-four hours a day. If seniors have any medical needs in the middle of the night or need basic health care, there is no need to go into the hospital. Because there are nurses around all day, seniors are less likely to ignore minor ailments and have them treated before they become a severe issue. As an additional benefit, when seniors live in a retirement community, someone is always available to help them. If a lightbulb needs to be changed, a picture hung up, or the TV isn't working correctly, someone will be available to help you, generally within a few minutes.
As people age, they slowly lose their independence. They can no longer drive, struggle to make nutritious meals, and spend more time alone. Choosing to move into a retirement community allows seniors to get the support they need without sacrificing their independence. In addition to the independence they gain from the retirement home, seniors also gain new freedom they wouldn't have living on their home. Instead of spending their time cooking, cleaning, and doing yard work, they have the privilege of enjoying their days the way they want. The independence and freedom that seniors experience also leads to them feeling less stressed. This reduction of stress has been shown to have positive benefits on both mental and physical health.
For those who live in a retirement community, their days can be as busy or relaxed as they would like them to be. One example of a retirement communities schedule is as follows:
6:45 am - 9:00 am: Breakfast is served in the dining room
10:30 am - 11:30 am: Stretch class
10:30 am - 11:30 am: Gardening class
11:30 am - 1:00 pm: Lunch served in the dining room
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm: Transportation to the local shopping mall
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm: Bingo
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm: Adult coloring
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm: Dinner served in the dining room
6:15 pm - 7:15 pm: Worship and sing
6:15 pm - 7:15 pm: Coffee treat social
Remember, this is just a sample of what could be offered at a retirement community. The actual activities that are offered in a retirement community are extensive to give all residents options that are tailored to their specific needs, interests, and lifestyles. While there might be some options that are available every day, like worship, others, like bingo and excursions to the mall, might only be offered on a weekly or monthly rotation. There is never any obligation for a senior to participate in any activities while living in a retirement home; seniors make their own decisions.
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