Maintaining independence is a core value in assisted living. Daily activities promoting strength, flexibility, and endurance are highly recommended for seniors to prevent falls and injuries and avoid prolonged assisted living or nursing care stays.
Seniors can also enjoy scheduled outings, which help them feel safely connected to the community. Getting out of the house can boost emotional health and reduce loneliness.
Sense of Community
Seniors who feel a sense of community thrive. A sense of community is the feeling that one belongs to a group or collective, that people care about and support one another, and that members have a shared faith that their needs will be met.
A strong sense of community can help seniors reclaim independence by promoting mental health and emotional stability. Sarasota assisted living communities provide social activities, like book clubs, craft projects, and learning new things that stimulate the mind, promote a healthy lifestyle, and help prevent loneliness. Many communities also offer scheduled outings, such as shopping excursions, theatre showings, and local community events. These activities help seniors stay active, ensuring they are safe and supported to do what they enjoy most. It critically promotes independence.
Personal Choice
Assisted living allows seniors to get as much or as little help as they want from professional caregivers. It will enable them to continue pursuing their hobbies and interests and even try new ones! It also allows them to interact with other residents and build new relationships, removing the isolation they may have experienced living at home.
In addition to socializing, seniors must keep their cognitive abilities sharp by playing brain games or learning something new. It helps them maintain their independence and boosts their self-esteem.
Socialization
Keeping up with pre-existing friendships and growing new ones is essential for seniors to feel connected. Whether they are staying in their own home or moving to an assisted living community that offers social activities and chef-prepared meals, it is true.
Regular social interaction improves mental health, prevents memory loss and dementia, and boosts a person’s immune system. It also promotes a sense of control, helping them feel that while some aspects of their life may change, they can maintain independence.
Assisted living communities offer numerous opportunities for socializing, from group fitness classes to discussion groups. If your loved one has a specific interest, they can find a club that shares their passion or explore other socialization options.
Transportation
In many communities, independent and assisted living residents can access transportation services. It can help avoid the isolation of homebound seniors who can’t leave their homes without relying on friends or family for transportation.
With all the time they won’t spend cooking, cleaning, and driving, seniors can focus on hobbies or even try something new! It can promote mental stimulation and improve overall health.
Often, seniors fear moving into an assisted living community because they believe it means losing their independence. However, it’s important to remember that assisted living is designed to encourage and maintain independence while promoting a high quality of life for older adults. If you want your loved one to thrive, have open conversations about the autonomy they hope to maintain.
Medication Management
A key element of independence is ensuring your loved one’s prescriptions are taken as instructed. Caregivers can help ensure their medications are properly administered and stored while monitoring for possible adverse drug interactions or other problems with a senior’s medication regime.
In addition to taking their medications as prescribed, seniors should stay mentally and physically active. Activities like listening to music, playing familiar brain games, or walking can stimulate the mind and promote overall health.
Many assisted living communities offer a complete social and wellness program schedule that allows your loved one to interact with their peers and build new friendships. These activities can keep your loved ones engaged and connected to the world around them, promoting feelings of independence.