Assisted living can be a wonderful way for seniors to spend their golden years. These communities give customized care for every resident and offer a wide range of programs, services, and amenities for the people living there to promote a high quality of life.
Typically, these communities are designed for seniors who are mostly independent. Assisted living is recommended when seniors can still perform most of their daily tasks but may need help with cleaning, dressing, or medication management.
If a person is bedridden, needs round-the-clock care, or is experiencing serious memory impairment, a different form of senior living—like memory care—is recommended.
What Is Assisted Living?
Assisted living communities are a specialized form of senior living. In these communities, residents can live independently but receive help with daily things that might be causing them trouble. Whether it’s support needed with bathing, cleaning, cooking, managing medication, or dressing, assisted living communities custom-design a plan for each resident.
By providing these services, communities, such as Urbana Place Senior Living, can give every resident the care they need while still providing the independence and autonomy needed for a high quality of life. Assisted living also has around-the-clock staff in case of an emergency, which can bring peace of mind to residents and their families.
These safe and secure communities also offer a wide variety of programs, services, and amenities, ranging everywhere from planned outings to fitness programs and other social activities that are offered in the community. This allows residents to pursue their interests and enjoy their senior years in a stress-free and social environment.
When to Consider Assisted Living
While assisted living communities are wonderful places, that doesn’t mean it’s time to discuss it with your loved one. These communities aren’t a universal answer for all seniors—they’re designed for specific situations.
Typically, though it may change from community to community, there are requirements for assisted living, including:
- Residents usually must be over the age of 55
- They must be able to live fairly independently
- They must be relatively cognitively healthy
- Passing a health assessment performed by onsite clinicians
- Residents must be in stable medical condition
However, there may be better choices than assisted living if a potential resident needs advanced medical care or constant supervision from a trained team. These communities are designed for seniors who can remain mostly independent, so if residents need around-the-clock medical attention, an alternative form of senior living might be more suitable.
If you’re unsure whether your senior loved one would qualify for assisted living, there is good news—most assisted living communities offer the option to schedule a visit and speak with their expert staff there, where they can answer any questions or concerns you may have!
The Benefits of Assisted Living
If your loved one qualifies for assisted living, knowing what to expect is important.
These communities will work closely with your family and your loved one’s primary healthcare provider to design a treatment plan to give them what they need. Whether it’s helping build a schedule for medication management or rearranging furniture to suit their mobility, creating a dietary plan, or setting times to help with housekeeping, the community, such as Urbana Place Senior Living, can help make sure your loved one is well taken care of.
Your loved one will be able to live in a safe and supportive community while gaining access to everything the location has to offer. Some of the biggest benefits of assisted living often include:
- Social opportunities, like classes, fitness programs, walking groups, and group outings
- Transportation services
- Religious and spiritual services
- Craft groups where residents can learn new skills and hobbies
- A maintenance-free lifestyle
- Health monitoring
It’s important to note that every assisted living community is different, so it can be beneficial to contact the community and ask about their services and amenities.
How to Choose the Right Assisted Living Community
When choosing the right assisted living community, there are some important things to consider. You should begin by discussing this potential move with your loved one to see what they think about moving to a senior living community. This can also allow you to discover what they need for a higher quality of life.
When looking into potential communities, it can help to ask about:
- The financial cost of the community
- What programs, services, and amenities are available
- The location of the community
- What kinds of care plans are offered
- The number of staff and the number of residents
- What medical services and personnel are available on site
- The physical location of the apartment and if it would suit your loved one
By asking questions like these, you can give yourself and your loved one peace of mind knowing they’re in a safe, supportive community where they’re well taken care of.
Assisted Living in Minnesota
If your family is in the Minnesota area and interested in learning more about assisted living, reach out to us at Urbana Place Senior Living. We value 3 things above all:
- Respect
- Courtesy
- Dignity
Our team of trained and experienced caregivers are here to support your loved one and ease the transition to assisted living. To learn more about our community, schedule a tour with us today!
