Understanding Assisted Living Community
Assisted living community refers to wide range of services provided to senior adults with freedom to have their own private life. Mostly people in assisted living communities will get help in activities of daily living. It’s more than a nursing home where seniors will be provided with proper skilled nursing care facilities round the clock. Residents’ care plans are created, overseen, regularly maintained and reviewed by Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and given proper care in terms of healthy living.
Problems Faced By Seniors As They Age
With aging seniors face illness both physically and mentally, mostly their daily life will always need proper assistance to maintain a healthy life style. So it’s important to understand the challenges faced by people as they age, and recognize that there are precautionary measures to place your loved ones on the path of healthy aging. The common problems faced are,
- Chronic health conditions: Most seniors as they age face one of the major chronic problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke ,cancer and the recent survey states that these chronic diseases causes two- thirds of deaths each year. Proper annual health checkup along with healthy diet and proper daily care should be taken to prevent and manage chronic health conditions.
- Cognitive and Mental health: Dementia is a group of conditions characterized by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgments that affects elder’s cognitive health. As one age mental health is affected along with cognitive health that causes depression, anxiety, feelings of guilt, insomnia, early morning wakefulness, over sleeping or pessimism.
- Physical weakness: Physical weakness includes instable mobility that makes their life miserable since they will always need assistance in their daily activities. Digestive problems that often arises if the diet is not maintained properly, over eating or appetite loss. Malnutrition can stem from inappropriate diet plan or even from depression or dementia (where seniors forget to eat).
- Sensory impairments: As one age mainly their hearing and vision senses will be affected but luckily they are treatable and proper care should be given to avoid the worsening of the sensory impairment conditions.
- Oral health: Oral health is one of the most important issues for elderly. Problems like cavities and tooth decay often leads to difficulty in maintaining a healthy diet, low self esteem that causes mental issues and other health conditions. These should be managed or prevented by making regular dental checkups.
How Assisted Living Will Help Seniors
Choosing the right way to deal with the process of aging of your loved ones is more important to keep their health in proper condition. With proper skilled nursing facility senior’s problems can be addressed at right time and care can be given as early as possible to prevent serious conditions. Hence choosing a home care at assisted living facility will ensure healthy aging for your loved ones.
What should a good assisted living community provide?
1. Medical Management: Depending on their health many of the seniors have individual requirements when it comes to medications. A skilled nursing facility will keep track of every resident’s medication schedule, ensuring that every dose is administered on time and in the appropriate amount.
2.In house Physical therapy: Assisted living offers both physical therapy and various physical activities to keep seniors moving at whatever level they are able, allowing them to both restore movement in joints affected by an accident and/or maintain their function. And they also encourage seniors to involve in senior wellness programs like yoga, aerobic exercises and indoor games that help them maintain their physical and mental health (including cognitive health) in proper condition.
3. Balanced diet & Nutrition: Proper nutrition is critical during recovery, recovering from a health issue who live on their own will be limited in their mobility, making it difficult (sometimes impossible) for them to prepare healthy meals at home, while assisted living will prepare a variety of delicious meals to fit every dietary need, while keeping track of their caloric requirement.
Thus with a well established Assisted living facility the above mentioned services will be provided to seniors and personal care assistant will take individual care of each resident at assisted living facility and keep a proper check on their health chart.
