With the exploding aging population and the emergence of dangerous pandemics like COVID, senior care has become a challenging proposition today. Particularly, the changing lifestyles and priorities of family members make it tough to give sufficient care and attention to the elderly people after their retirement. Interestingly, a substantial number of seniors also wish to lead their life independently without compromising on their personal preferences and habits. One of the latest choices that permit this freedom is senior assisted living facilities. While some elders choose to live here because they may have certain dependencies, others simply relocate to live comfortably without having to bear the burden of property management.
Athulya Assisted Living is one such reliable senior assisted living choice that offers personalized care for residents unlike most other retirement homes in Chennai. These premium senior citizen homes in Chennai are well crafted for retired people and located across different prominent parts of the city. Senior independent living here is supported by customized healthcare services, nutritious meal plans, physical activities, wellness programmes and socialization initiatives.
However, often people especially seniors, face ambiguity in understanding the concept of assisted living and the benefits it offers. Let us now explore some of the common misconceptions about assisted living and the reality behind it.
Misconceptions of Assisted Living
- Misconception 1: Complete loss of independence Truth-Residents of assisted living homes have as much liberty and independence as they would possess if they lived in their own houses. They are not limited by constraints like where they can go or what they can do. Assistance and care are only provided when required and it is to the minimum levels. So seniors can continue to enjoy their lifestyle and do what they wish to.
- Misconception 2: Lack of private space Truth-Almost all assisted living facilities follow the layout of apartments or condominiums wherein each resident is allocated his or her own space in the community. So they are free to have the ambiance they want within that private area and even invite guests if they want to. Infact, these facilities also encourage seniors to adorn their own spaces with paintings, portraits, indoor plants and other art forms according to their preferences to keep the place aesthetic and pleasant.
- Misconception 3: Homestay is cheaper Truth-Contrary to the common perception, most assisted living facilities are affordable and pocket-friendly to the retirement income. That is because, in reality, the cost of maintaining and repairing individual homes is high and seniors have to spend huge amounts for this. These overhead costs are taken care of by the facility staff in case of assisted living. Likewise, the rentals paid for these facilities cover most of the living expenses and the residents are not liable for bearing the taxes, insurance and utilities of these hired dwellings. So retired persons can save remarkable amounts of money in their golden years by choosing this facility.
- Misconception 4: All residents need nursing care Truth-Though assisted living facilities cater to the needs of some sick patients and even provide respite care, not all residents need to be sick. Usually, most inhabitants here are in fairly good health condition and can manage themselves by and large. They may opt to live here to avoid maintenance costs of property or because they are unable to relocate to different places along with their families.
- Misconception 5: Socialization is nil Truth-Most people assume that assisted living centres evade seniors from meeting their near and dear ones and cuts off social relationships. Fortunately, this is not so as these facilities are extremely visitor-friendly and open to family members and friends. Events and activities are also conducted to include them in the gatherings along with the residents. These spaces also have adequate infrastructure and huge common areas to accommodate guests and host functions.
- Misconception 6: Hobbies cannot be pursued Most seniors face apprehensions about continuing their own hobbies and interests when they move to care facilities. But assisted living campuses actually support them in continuing this by arranging nature walks, sightseeing tours, sports tournaments, musical concerts and craft workshops. So there is never going to be a dearth of engaging activities for residents here – isolation and depression can be easily thwarted!
