Assisted living is a popular topic for older adults. Of course, when searching for the ideal solution, quality of life and other topics come into play. As the population ages, there are literally millions of people who need assisted living support of some kind. Residential care facilities and other elder care services, including memory care, are more popular now than ever before.
To make the most of assisted living, it’s important to ensure that you choose the solution that offers the best quality of life for your loved one. Quality of life simply refers to how much people are actually “living”, if you will, as opposed to just being alive. The goal is to ensure that everyone has the best quality of life.
If your parent isn’t experiencing that at home, it might be time to consider assisted living. Of course, these facilities often get a lot of scrutiny for things like quality of life, so it’s important to do your homework and choose a reputable facility that focuses on providing the best for its residents.
What is the Quality of Life for People with Dementia?
Several conditions can impact the quality of life as we age. Dementia and memory loss are two of the biggest, for many. The issue with memory loss is that people can forget simple things like how to brush their teeth, or even to turn off the stove after they cook, which results in poor self-care or serious danger.
Conditions like these typically get worse over time without proper care and management. In some cases, people will see symptoms worsen from loneliness and isolation, which is a serious problem for seniors already. There are memory care services that can assist people with retaining more of their quality of life, or even improving their memory, by providing a high quality of life and the right environment.
Of course, this is not an exact science or guarantee, but the proof is there that people who live in memory care facilities tend to have better lives than those who stay home or are put into a traditional facility when they suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other memory issues.
Which is the Best Way of Living Life?
“Which” refers to the idea of elder care services and assisted living, as well as which services are going to provide the best quality of life for your loved one. Some people who aren’t so far along might be able to still live at home and mostly manage their lives. However, the majority of people with dementia will eventually end up in assisted living or a nursing home with 24-hour care.
The best way of living life is the one that allows your parent to have as much independence and quality of life as possible, at the same time. This is a delicate balance that you may have to work to find, but if there are memory issues at hand, assisted living might be the ideal solution.
What Do Seniors Think of Assisted Living Facilities?
Seniors all have their own opinions of assisted living. Some are fine with it. Others are fine with it, as long as they don’t get put into one of these facilities. Still more understand that they need assistance and that’s exactly what these services are for. Then, some absolutely abhor the idea of assisted living and nursing homes, and think that’s “where old people go to die”.
If your aging parent has a bad taste in their mouth about assisted living, let us help you change their mind. There are so many advantages to assisted living and memory care. If your loved one is balking, offer the following benefits for their consideration:
- A community of peers and potential friends available at all times
- Supportive staff and focused care specifically for memory issues
- A chance to maintain some independence without the risk
- A fun way to enjoy living in a community with people who understand their struggles
Plus, this is all while getting whatever level of care that they need. People will have the best quality of life possible when they are utilizing the resources available to them with assisted living and memory care.
At Heidi’s Haven, we offer a variety of senior living services and solutions to help improve your loved one’s quality of life and provide the care they need. Contact us today to discuss our 24-hour care and memory care solutions for seniors.
Resources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/residential-facilities-assisted-living-and-nursing-homes
https://medlineplus.gov/assistedliving.html
https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/55/2/P117/578705
https://thewaterford.net/2018/01/24/benefits-assisted-living-facilities/
