Assisted living is something that a middle-aged son or daughter can hear about when they’re looking for solutions for their aging parents. Maybe they’ve heard that their parents are having a difficult time managing their daily lives and know they cannot show up every day to help. While nursing care can do some things, it’s expensive and not a real solution for an increasing list of daily activities that parents are struggling to do.
To sell the mom or dad on moving to an assisted living facility, it’s often necessary to know a few of the benefits. Here are four of them.
1. Chronic Conditions are Easier to Manage
Chronic conditions are common with people in middle-age and beyond. The AARP has reported previously that over 70 million Americans have at least one chronic disease by the age of fifty. As we get older, the likelihood of developing a worsening condition or multiple chronic diseases becomes very real. Managing those can quickly become overwhelming even if it’s two parents together, or one remaining one who’s living alone.
Nurses that visit can help somewhat, but when they’re only visiting once or twice a week, that might not be enough.
2. Simplify the Finances
A foggy memory and forgetfulness can badly affect money management for seniors. A senior living St. Louis facility such as McKnight Place creates a much more simplified living standard. Because they take care of the accommodation, any nursing care required, meals, and other services, many individual expenses are removed in favor of a single bill.
Getting confused over what money is in their account, visiting the ATM and forgetting the bank card, or remembering to pay the utility bill is no longer an issue. For parents, this is great news. But for worried sons and daughters, it’s a considerable worry removed.
Additionally, there’s also an increased risk of people who prey on the elderly because they can get muddled up, be overly trusting, and lose their life savings in a confidence scheme. Going into assisted living protects them from bad actors because there is a well-meaning staff between them and such people.
3. Varied Group and Solo Activities
Depending on the assisted living facility, they will put on various classes and programs to keep seniors busy at the facility. Some, such as painting or drawing, help to express their creative side whereas using an in-house library allows them to dive into a real page-turner. Pursuing new hobbies, socializing with other residents, or going out as a group is often possible too.
4. No Need to Drive
Driving with worsening eyesight and poor response times leads to trouble on the road. The incidence of accidents for seniors still getting behind the wheel is not pretty. Communities provide transportation options to ensure residents don’t feel constrained. Therefore, they can save money by giving up their car. It’s a simple matter to have arrangements made to arrive at dental appointments or other activities on time.
Before moving to assisted living, parents may feel a bit uncertain about it if it’s new to them. However, many residents discover more and more benefits to assisted living once they are happily settled in.