There are many reasons that a senior citizen may choose to live in an assisted living facility. First, many seniors are concerned with becoming a burden to their families. Taking care of an aging parent or relative can be time consuming, financially straining, and stressful, but many families do it as long as they can. But though only 37% of seniors believe that they will eventually need long term care, statistics have shown that nearly 70% of all seniors will need it at some point in their lives. Especially in cases of Alzheimer’s disease, which affects many people and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the only leading cause of death for which there is no treatment, it becomes impossible for the families of patients to provide the care that is necessary. In independent assisted living facilities or nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities are available. These skilled nursing facilities can provide the care and resources that families often can’t, and skilled nursing facilities are often available at memory care centers and memory care communities that cater to patients who are specifically affected by Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, of which there are more than one hundred types, though Alzheimer’s is by far one of the most common.
Caring for someone with dementia is often a difficult task, but skilled nursing facilities in local assisted living facilities are more than equipped to handle the job. In fact, seniors living in assisted living facilities more often have a greater degree of independence than those who do not. This is because the skilled nursing facilities available are able to provide many more resources than a family would be able to. There are many activities that seniors living in an assisted living facility commonly partake in, such as reading, bicycling, gardening, and pursuing activities that were related to their faith. Skilled nursing facilities can also help with daily activities, which one in four nursing home patients require, such as bathing and eating. As most residents have other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, skilled nursing facilities can help to manage these conditions as well.
Overall, independent living community residents have a positive experience. They are given the care that they need by the skilled nursing facilities, but they also find friendships and activities that they enjoy. Because of the amount of resources provided, it is easier for residents to live as independently as possible for as long as possible.
