12 Nov From A Lifelong Home To Senior Housing: Things To Know About Your Move

When it is time to move into senior housing, many individuals and their families feel overwhelmed with all of the options available for senior living communities in their areas. Although it can be an exciting time for seniors who are ready to move on to the next phases of their lives, it can also be scary and overwhelming. As the VP of Sales & Marketing, I’ve spent the last ten years fully entrenched in the world of senior housing, and I understand how difficult it can be to make a decision when the future holds so many possibilities. One thing I’ve taken note of is that seniors who are ready to move into senior housing communities should consider all of the options available to them. Understanding that needs can, and do change, and deciding how long they want to stay in their new homes, are both important aspects to keep in mind while researching senior housing communities.
 

The Right Time To Move Is Entirely Your Choice

There are several reasons why an individual and/or his or her family might be deciding it is time for a change to senior housing. Deciding that it is time to move is a big and important deal in the life of a senior, and should be handled with compassion and a great deal of thought. Families tend to struggle with the reasons why they are continuing to move forward with the move of a loved one, as do individuals planning to leave their homes. Several reasons for moving into senior communities include, but are not limited to health and care needs, financial needs, and home maintenance difficulties. If you’re having trouble understanding why or if the timing is right for a move, I suggest calling the senior housing communities you’ve chosen to vet and asking them for resources to help better understand if you are making the right decision at this point in time.
 

Types Of Senior Housing You Should Know

If you’ve already begun looking for homes within your community, you probably understand that there are a lot more options than you knew about before starting this journey.  It’s important not to become overwhelmed, and to keep it simple by understanding the main types of senior housing, which I have listed below:
 
Independent Senior Living Communities
These communities are intended for seniors who need no assistance or care, other than routine property maintenance. Usually the communities consist of one to two bedroom apartments with kitchenettes, or full kitchens. Independent communities offer seniors the convenience of relinquishing burdens such as meal preparation and transportation, and usually offer amenities that promote active, healthy lifestyles. Other names for these communities include 55+ communities, retirement communities, active communities, and senior communities.
 
Assisted Living Communities
These communities are intended for seniors who need help within their homes, but might not necessarily need the assistance of a skilled nursing professional. The services offered within assisted living communities often include meal preparation and housekeeping, as well as help with medications, daily activities, and transportation. These communities are staffed 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, ensuring that the seniors who reside in them are consistently looked after and cared for. These communities can come in a variety of styles and sizes, and often consist of private one to two bedroom apartments with kitchenettes.
 
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care
Usually Alzheimer’s and dementia, or memory care communities are part of assisted living or nursing homes. Much like assisted living, memory care offers all of the conveniences of 24-hour care staff, along with an extra security measurement. This is to ensure that residents of memory care communities do not wander off and get lost at any given point in the day or night. In any worthwhile memory care facility, the activities offered are geared towards those with dementia, and will include appropriate therapies such as art and music.
 
Skilled Nursing Communities
These communities are often referred to as nursing homes or convalescent homes. These communities offer the same level of in-home care for seniors, with additional medical services provided to seniors with intensive medical conditions. Skilled nursing communities usually offer private, or semi-private rooms, and provide both short and long-term care. Nursing homes offer 24-hour care, and are often equipped with pharmaceutical access, as well as medical equipment. They usually provide three daily meals, activities and therapy to promote health and wellbeing, socialization, and hospice care.
 
Respite Care
These are typically communities that provide short-term living accommodations to seniors for a number of reasons. When searching for respite care, keep in mind that the typical services offered are daily meals, housekeeping, hygiene, medication assistance, transportation, and socialization and activity promotion. Families might choose to move their loved ones into respite care communities as a way of easing the seniors they care for into senior housing, or for a short-term solution to traveling or unmanageable schedules.
 

We Are Happy To Answer Your Senior Housing Questions

Whether you’re researching senior housing for yourself, or for a loved one close to you, keep in mind that the process can be overwhelming, and it is okay to ask questions to anyone who might be able to help. If you’re interested in learning more about the types of senior housing available today, feel free to reach out to the team at Model55 with your questions. With over ten years of experience helping senior living communities to create apartments that feel like home, we are equipped with information you might not be able to find on your own, and are always happy to share what we know.
 
Simply contact us online, or by phone at (508) 405-3055 x1.
 
I hope this article helped clarify a few of your questions regarding senior housing, and would love your feedback – please feel free to leave comments below!