As our loved ones get older they can continue living at home and in their communities instead of moving into specific senior living facilities. This is what is commonly referred to as “aging in place”.
While aging in place often seems like the easiest option, it might not be the most viable or safe choice in the long run. Here are some reasons why aging in place isn’t always the best option for older adults:
Disadvantages to Aging in Place
1.Missing Out on Quality Health Care
Many older adults who don’t receive some type of support or professional care can find it difficult to provide such care for themselves day in and day out. Specialized senior care faciliteis can offer many benefits to senior citizens, including skilled nusing, memory care, personal care, and more.
2.Security
Living alone can present security issues for anyone, but it can leave older adults especially vulnerable. It is unfortunate that criminals of various kinds may prey on seniors and take advantage of them when they live alone.
This is true in the case of physical crimes like burglary, but also in other ways like scams on the internet. Senior individuals are often victimized by scammers when dealing with online transactions like paying utilities, rent/mortgage, shopping, and even phone bills.
Community living in a senior care long-term residence can alleviate many safety concerns. Senior living residents will be confident they are living in a secure community, and they won’t have as many expenses to keep track of.
3. Household Chores
It’s often hard for older adults to complete chores like laundry, house cleaning, yard work, and even grocery shopping. These chores can be labor and time-intensive, causing unneeded stress and exertion for seniors who should be relaxing and enjoying retirement. Some older adults may hire house cleaners and gardeners, but this gives them, even more, to keep track of and pay for. Fortunately, living in a senior community setting provides older adults with everything they need, like housekeeping, meal plans, and transportation.
4. Hygiene and Personal Care
Everyday things like bathing, dressing, and grooming can also be difficult for older adults living by themselves. They can consider hiring a trained aide, but the cost for that may be more than they can afford. On the other hand, life in a senior living community allows older adults to choose the living option that works best for them, including those that provide help with bathing, dressing, and more.
Healthy and Regular Meals
When older individuals live by themselves, even something as commonplace as cooking can become difficult to manage. Sometimes, seniors will skip meals due to the effort needed to prepare them. Aging comes with challenges such as limited energy to carry out most daily living activities like cooking, getting groceries, and more. This is all the more reason that older adults need to eat a healthy, balanced diet every single day. Luckily, senior living communities offer meal and dining plans that provide residents with delicious, healthy options every day.
At Celebrate Senior Living, we are committed to celebrating the moments, victories, and memories that will last a lifetime for our residents and their loved ones. An assisted living community has many benefits for individuals and helping them with their every day life. Celebrate Senior Living facilities provide seniors their own space while maintaining a friendly community atmosphere of older adults. We are a Midwest-based foundation that serves Illinois and Indiana with a variety of medical, social, and personal care services in comfortable residential environments, including memory care, independent care and assisted living.
Explore one of our three senior living and retirement communities and select the location that fits your individual health, behavioral, and social needs.
If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about the senior living housing options we can offer, contact Celebrate Senior Living.
