Assisted living is a type of care that
involves residential housing with extra aid, provided by professionals in the
healthcare field. This type of living arrangement can be suitable for seniors
who need help with cooking, cleaning, bathroom tasks and traveling to and from
appointments.
Standard
Services
Assisted living facilities provide a variety
of services and care. Typical services include serving residents three balanced
meals each day and providing housekeeping to keep living areas clean. Residents
also receive help with bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, walking or moving
around, and eating, if necessary. Healthcare professionals are on call around
the clock, providing help with medication management, emergency care, and
security for residents. Other services include laundry, wellness programs,
transportation, and planned recreational activities.
Selection of
Facility
The facility you choose for a loved one will
be an important decision. Take the time to explore every option available
within your immediate geographic area. Make appointments to visit each facility
for a tour and speak with representatives. Watch how staff and residents
converse and see whether the residents seem happy and comfortable. Notice the
overall cleanliness of the facility and whether safety and security measures
are in place for residents. At a minimum, the assisted living
environment should feel warm, comfortable, safe, and secure.
Someone who is having trouble managing
independent daily life in a house or an apartment might be a likely candidate
for assisted living. Some signs that could indicate a need for extra help
include weight loss because shopping and cooking becomes too difficult, use of
the same outfits repeatedly because washing clothes is too hard, lack of
personal hygiene because bathing becomes a challenge, bruises due to falls, an
inability to manage appointments and medication, inappropriate behavior, and
depression that stems from isolation.
It should be noted that a different kind of
living arrangement is provided for the elderly who are capable of doing
everything for themselves. This is known as independent living for seniors
because they do not require the assistance of anybody in doing their daily
activities. Assisted Living Center gives all comfort zones
to elder peoples. These retirees are simply there to enjoy their retirement and
the independent living communities provide them with many opportunities to do
so because of the amenities that are provided such as the exercise rooms,
patios, gardens, tennis courts, golf courses, and others.