Should I stay in my home or go to Assisted Living – Elders often weigh the pros and cons of a new living arrangement
I remember when my neighbor, Eleanor Jacobs, decided it was time for her to go into an assisted living community. She was in fair physical health and her memory was sharp. All of her children lived out of state and most of her friends had passed on. She was extremely independent, but she knew the time had come and she needed to be around people and get assistance with certain things. When Eleanor arrived at the assisted living community in Pompano Beach, Florida at the age of 86, nobody could believe that she was that old, she acted like she was 60. She was smart, witty and she loved to knit blankets for children from her church. She brought her sewing machine with her and continued to sew on a regular basis. Eleanor was also able to take her small dog with her. That made her very happy.
Assisted living requires a higher level of personal care than someone living in their own home might need, yet licensed on-site medical care is not necessary. Assisted living facilities are considered a wellness environment promoting independence and getting back to the same quality of living enjoyed before the emergency situation occurred.
Assisted living communities are licensed facilities providing 24-hour certified caregivers. This is different than a nursing home or skilled nursing facility, which offers medical care around the clock.
Many of these new assisted living communities look like five star hotels or resorts. Sometimes you have to be reminded that you need to be a senior citizen in order to live there. The interior finishes are top notch, and the community grounds are park like, with the most prestine surroundings.
There was a lot of great features and amenities available for my friend Eleanor. The community she went to had a swimming pool with aquatic exercise. This was an amenities she did not want to live without. She spent many summer in her pool in the seaside town that we lived it.
After Eleanor completed her tour of the premier assisted living community, she wanted to have lunch at the restaurant. She was very surprised to find that they had a gourmet menu. The talented chef’s at this community delighted her in creating awesome food, with a beautiful presentation. With a menu that changes every day. Even the most haute healthy menus feature tastes as tempting as your favorite “guilty pleasures.” From fun, casual fare to elegant classics, the chefs make the most of Florida’s fresh, locally sourced ingredients and global culinary influences to satisfy the most enthusiastic foodie. This was good news for Eleanor, because she was a gourmet cook herself. She used to cook dinner for us and it was wonderful. We miss those days.
The community that Eleanor moved into had live entertainment. She loved entertainment. When she was 70, her friends had a surprise birthday party for her with entertainers that danced and sang until all hours of the night. It was a great time.
The community Eleanor moved into offered so many activities. Golf, beaches, fishing and water sports are nearby and great for enticing her out of state grandkids to visit. They offered group outings for culture, arts and crafts, card games and community doings at her new home. For dinner she can cook in her own residence, order in, entertain or dine lakeside. At night, spectacular tropical skies sparkle with stars and the promise of a new day tomorrow to take your possibilities out to play!
Let’s face it, the main reason Eleanor moved into this community was because she was getting older and was going to be in need of medical care. She was happy to learn about the care they offered like: wellness professionals to assist her, health fairs with screening and informational interactive presentations, a 24 hour wellness nurse who responds in emergency situations to assess her needs, a registered dietitian and nutritional staff and on-site rehab with skilled care and memory care.
Eleanor was quite happy with her decision to make the move to her new assisted living community. She said, “If I would have known it was like this I would have moved in sooner”.
“Maddie O’Brian – Elderly Community Today”