Deciding to move into a senior living community is a deeply personal process for every individual and looks different for every family. Some seniors may wish to move into an independent living residence as soon as they meet the age requirement, while others may feel strongly against ever moving into a community.
Whether the older adult in your life is counting down the days to moving out or has no interest in ever leaving their house, it’s always better to start the conversation early. Transitioning to senior living — or deciding against it — is a significant life change that impacts seniors and their families. Having the conversation sooner allows everyone to get on the same page and make a proper plan before a crisis occurs.
To help you and your loved ones feel better equipped, we’ve compiled a few key advantages of starting this conversation early. Let’s explore the various senior living options available, the benefits residents and families appreciate most, and the best next step you can take to ensure a successful senior living move.
Starting the Conversation Early
Most of us don’t like to be reminded of our age, and seniors are no exception. Unfortunately, there is still a misconception that senior living is for “old people,” or those with limited independence who can no longer care for themselves. Many seniors may feel they’re too young to talk about senior living. They take pride in their active lifestyle and put off the idea of senior living until “the signs” present themselves.
While signs like declining home maintenance, independence, personal hygiene, or cognition indicate that it may be time for your loved one to move into senior living, don’t wait until you start seeing these patterns. Talk to your loved one to get a sense of what they may want to plan for in the future.
Remember that having a senior living conversation with your loved one earlier rather than later has many logistical, emotional, and mental health benefits. Start that conversation with empathy, honor their needs and preferences, and keep in mind the following four benefits of planning ahead.
A Gradual Transition
Discussing the benefits of senior living does not mean your loved one must move immediately. In fact, one of the main advantages of having the conversation early involves avoiding the need for immediate change. Sitting down with your loved one before a crisis encourages the conversation, giving them greater input over the decision. It keeps the conversation casual and exploratory, offering time to reflect and downsize. This can prevent the move-in process from turning into an overwhelming logistical nightmare.
Better Availability & Selection
Having a conversation early provides the gift of time and clarity for making a decision. Many families are forced to make this decision in stressful circumstances when a sudden health concern or decline in ability makes the need for senior living immediate. In this situation, you may not have the time or energy to research and critically examine your options, making it more difficult to choose the best care for your family’s needs and budget. Additionally, many senior living communities have waiting lists, and your ideal residence, or one within your budget, may not be available at your preferred location.
Less Urgency, More Organization
Preparing a plan in advance allows more time to work out the details, such as where your loved one wants to move, how to pay for it, whether a residence is secured, and more. Selling your senior loved one’s home is also part of this process for most families. Downsizing, listing the house, and similar administrative tasks can take much time and effort, not to mention emotional and mental energy. Planning ahead subtracts unnecessary urgency from the mix and allows you to decide confidently.
Emotional Resilience
The longer a senior puts off their move, the more complex the emotional impact can become. Eventually, a senior loved one may begin to feel less like a family member and more like a burden. Family visits may become increasingly task-oriented, deepening the risk of resentment and frustration, and isolation and loneliness may creep in as social circles shrink.
Starting the conversation sooner rather than later can help a senior loved one cultivate a positive mindset and emotional resiliency toward their move. It offers time to address negative assumptions, process feelings of loss, and create an optimistic narrative. Additionally, older adults can take advantage of the opportunity to experience life in a community. They can re-imagine their life there by taking a tour, meeting residents and staff, and making connections before deciding to move. With a support network in place and new friendships formed, residents often wonder why they waited so long to move in the first place.
Senior Living Options and Benefits
Conversations about senior living often begin with discussing the options and benefits. Senior living options can generally be sorted into four main categories: independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing care. Each offers differing levels of support, services, amenities, and benefits.
Independent Living
Independent living communities offer a care-free lifestyle for seniors who are generally still in good health and self-reliant. These communities minimize the stress and labor of home maintenance and upkeep while maximizing seniors’ ability to socialize and enjoy their golden years. Independent living communities typically offer a wide range of amenities, including on-site dining options, maintenance and housekeeping services, private apartments or cottages, various activities and events, senior-friendly infrastructure, social clubs, and outings, 24/7 staffing, and security features.
Assisted Living
In addition to the amenities offered by independent living communities, seniors seeking assisted living can enjoy the same convenient lifestyle and receive additional help with daily living activities as needed. The assisted living lifestyle is designed for seniors who are generally independent but may benefit from assistance with daily tasks, mobility support, or other services. These communities often offer a higher level of care than independent living communities, but do not provide the same specialized care available in a skilled nursing setting.
Assisted living residents can access support for personal care (showering, getting dressed, using the restroom, etc.), medication management, transportation to medical appointments, preparing and serving meals, and other service coordination.
Memory Care
Memory care communities are similar in style and structure to assisted living communities. They offer an accessible home environment, on-site services, and amenities, but with enhanced safety and security features. Many assisted living communities offer memory care residences, or neighborhoods, within their community.
Memory care communities provide a higher staffing level to best support residents, focusing on consistency of care and routine. Supportive care services available to residents include those offered in assisted living and specialized care for older adults with memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, or other forms of dementia. Communities partner with families and their loved ones to manage evolving care needs, create meaningful living experiences, and encourage daily social connection.
Skilled Nursing Care
Skilled nursing care facilities, or communities, offer the highest level of care, with more extensive healthcare services, greater assistance with daily living tasks, and an interdisciplinary clinical team. Under the umbrella of skilled nursing care, residents can receive short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, or specialized memory care services for those with Alzheimer’s or advanced dementia.
These senior living settings can sometimes share the same location or campus or be part of a continuum of care. In a continuum, residents can transition from one community or one level of care to another.
The Essential Next Step
So, you’ve started the conversation…. now what? There’s no better time to start touring senior living communities than the present. In fact, visiting a community is the best next step to ensure a successful senior living move!
Whether considering independent living, assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing care, senior living offers many advantages. If your loved one chooses to move into a senior living community, they can expect a comfortable and secure home, with hospitality services such as housekeeping and maintenance, dining options, fitness and wellness programs, supportive care services, engaging activities, and emergency call services. Residents and their families can find peace of mind knowing that a team of professional, compassionate staff is onsite 24/7 to respond to any urgent needs.
Learn more about the benefits of a senior living lifestyle and the importance of timing your senior living move by connecting with a Cardinal Bay senior care expert today! Check out our valuable free resources by subscribing to our blog or scheduling a tour at any of our independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities in Central Texas and Oklahoma. See firsthand why residents love living in our communities and wish they had moved sooner.