5 Key Benefits of Assisted Living for Seniors and Their Families

Poor hygiene, cluttered living spaces, and forgetting to shower or brush your teeth are telltale signs that it’s time to consider assisted living for your loved one. The move will give them a sense of purpose and the help they need.

Assisted living base fees typically cover housing, meals, housekeeping, transportation, and social activities. Long-term care, life insurance policies, or investments can help pay for assisted living.

Help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Assisted living facilities offer assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), including dressing, eating, going to the bathroom, and bathing. For some seniors, a decline in ADLs can be the first sign that they need additional care, especially if they do not have family or friends nearby to help them.

The increasingly complex instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) require critical thinking and organizational skills. Examples of IADLs include managing transportation and shopping, preparing meals, keeping the home clean, managing finances, and arranging for medication.

Discussing a loved one’s need for assistance with ADLs with your doctor and a senior care specialist is critical. Often, this will be followed by an ADL and IADL assessment to determine eligibility for state-funded assistance programs and senior community placement.

Health Care

Many seniors who move to assisted living in Saint Petersburg, FL, do so because they no longer want the stress of caring for a home. They often tire of cooking, cleaning, raking leaves, and driving for groceries and other daily necessities.

Assisted living residences offer scheduled transportation for doctor’s appointments and trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, and other essential errands. In addition, some communities offer classes on topics like yoga, painting, and technology.

Some assisted living communities provide onsite physical, occupational, and speech therapy to address specific health issues. Many also oversee a resident’s medical regimen, reminding them of their meds and checking for any interactions or adverse effects. They may also offer help preparing meals and have diets tailored to different medical conditions. This is particularly important for people suffering from loss of appetite or other health conditions that can lead to weight loss.

Socialization

Assisted living, also known as residential or personal care, is a level of senior living offering personalized support for older adults who require assistance with daily tasks. It’s more comprehensive than independent living but less intensive than a nursing home.

The goal is to help seniors enjoy a safe, active lifestyle in an environment that provides a sense of community and reduces the risk of social isolation and depression. A key aspect is communal dining, where seniors gather for meals with fellow residents and staff members. This kind of interaction can be a real boost to mental and physical health. It can also help lower the risk of a chronic health crisis. More and more research shows that loneliness is bad for long-term health.

Medication Management

While a senior may feel comfortable living in their home, it may be time to consider assisted living when they need assistance with medications or other daily life. For example, if your loved one is forgetting to take their medication or is experiencing a decline in hygiene, consider assisted living.

Assisted living homes offer Medication management services to assist seniors in adequately managing their prescription and over-the-counter drug regimens. This involves monitoring medications, removing expired medicines, and ensuring instructions and warnings are followed to avoid potentially fatal drug interactions.

Assisted living communities typically offer three well-balanced meals daily, housekeeping, and 24/7 staffing. Most residents pay for this care through private funds or limited long-term insurance coverage. Families can also work with Medicaid planning professionals to creatively structure their assets so their loved ones qualify for subsidized care at an assisted living facility.

Transportation

Assisted living communities provide schedules for regular transportation to grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential destinations. They also offer trips to local restaurants, events, and educational or cultural opportunities for socialization.

Knowing that their loved one can access dependable and safe transportation allows family members to sleep soundly. Being able to leave home without worrying about driving or shoveling snow is an excellent benefit of assisted living.

Assisted living is generally built around a rental model with monthly fees, including maintenance, housekeeping and security, three meals per day, programming, and healthcare supervision. Most Assisted Living facilities create a care plan for each resident and reassess it as needed. Onsite physical and occupational therapy are often provided. Medication management services, ranging from reminders to drug dispensing, may be offered depending on the facility.