Seniors living alone often need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Without adequate training or preparation, these tasks may become too much for family caregivers to handle alone.
Assisted living residences typically provide supervision or assistance with ADLs, coordination of services from outside health care providers and medication management. Residents typically select their own doctors and dentists.
Socialization
Socializing helps reduce feelings of isolation, which can contribute to depression in seniors. Encourage your parent on moving day to connect immediately with friendly, welcoming peers.
Assisted living facilities often offer an array of group activities for residents to engage in, including clubs centered around books or gardening, classes such as dancing or yoga, volunteer opportunities and volunteer positions. You may even help your loved one find their ideal group by notifying staff about their interests – for instance if they enjoy working jigsaw puzzles together the staff can create an area dedicated to this activity together! Furthermore, guest speakers or religious services might be hosted.
Health Care
Assisted living facilities provide a smart solution for seniors who no longer wish to worry about maintaining a home, yet require help with daily tasks like bathing and dressing. Seniors living alone who suffer from memory issues or health conditions that make living alone unsafe will also appreciate having social interaction and security provided in an assisted living environment.
Assisted living residences are governed by state law to strike an appropriate balance between independence and personal care assistance, basic healthcare services, and round-the-clock supervision. On your visits, be sure to inquire about its suggestion, grievance and resident council procedures as well as whether any scheduled transportation services exist between doctor appointments, trips to grocery stores and other destinations, classes/entertainment events and outings offered at each community.
Meal Preparation
Diet is key to staying healthy and preventing disease, so assisted living communities increasingly provide meal prep options to residents that provide nutritional yet delectable dishes.
Caregivers work closely with their clients to develop a weekly meal plan, taking into account any special dietary restrictions, then prepare it in their apartment. They may also take care of grocery shopping and cleanup as part of this service.
Meal preparation can also provide seniors with added safety, as they don’t have to lug heavy groceries home and risk burning themselves on hot stoves. Some homes also set up small kitchenettes in each apartment so residents can snack on healthy food all throughout the day such as fresh fruits, vegetables, yogurt, soups, deli meats & sandwiches as well as cookies/cakes/etc.
Transportation
Most assisted living communities include transportation services as part of their monthly fee, providing seniors who wish to remain social but cannot drive an option to remain connected with their community.
These services typically operate like bus lines, transporting residents to appointments and shopping trips as well as offering social activities onboard the shuttle bus. Such transportation helps keep residents’ bodies and minds active which may prevent memory loss or dementia.
Families should carefully assess a community’s transportation options. They should also ask about other features specific to a senior’s individual needs and capabilities – for instance, some programs provide Door-Through-Door services which offer assistance getting into and out of vehicles as well as carrying items purchased from stores to their residence.
Housekeeping
While minor tasks like watering plants and cleaning toilets may seem trivial to perform on an ongoing basis, elderly individuals often struggle with them and could benefit from having an experienced housekeeping worker helping out with them.
Performs all necessary custodial duties to maintain building and apartment rooms in an orderly, safe and sanitary condition. Sweeps, vacuums and mop floors; cleans furniture and office furnishings; dusts baseboards and door facings; restocks supplies as necessary.
Refrigerators must be monitored for food that has gone bad and discarded; linens must be removed and replaced as soon as they become dirty; sinks, toilets, commode chairs and mirrors cleaned of debris and soap replenished accordingly; restock paper towels when required and follow departmental procedures regarding product use, fire safety and infection control as well as maintaining the cleanliness of supply carts and storage areas – any equipment or facility issues must be reported immediately to a supervisor as well as following any directives given from a lead housekeeper or maintenance director.