Moving from your home can be a major lifestyle change, but one that many seniors and their families decide is for the best. While a single-family home can require a major investment of time and money to keep up, senior communities offer appealing convenience and safety features.
However, those looking for a new place can find themselves confronted with a bewildering choice of living arrangements. There are senior living communities, retirement homes, active aging communities and assisted living facilities, among others. Navigating these choices means understanding the terms and knowing which facilities are right for which seniors.
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What the labels mean. Terms such as senior living community, active aging community and retirement home are often used interchangeably, says Steve Seigel, an advisory board member for senior care service Honor. All these names usually refer to independent living arrangements. The communities may offer some amenities, but residents are typically responsible for their own shopping, cooking and other household tasks.
“Assisted living is more of hands-on help,” Seigel says. These facilities are usually best for those who need assistance with activities of daily living, known as ADLs. These may include bathing, dressing and moving between rooms. At an assisted living facility, meals and housekeeping are provided. Residents may have their own room or apartment, but meals may be served in a communal space. Nurses are on-hand around the clock to check on residents, administer medications and provide other help as needed.
Other senior living facilities include memory care institutions and nursing homes. These offer more intensive care to seniors who have significant health challenges or memory impairments.
Selecting the right type of facility. Seniors who simply want to downsize and don’t need help with daily activities can choose from a wide range of independent senior living communities. “It could be everything from a gated community with single family homes to an apartment situation,” says Jami Mohlenkamp, principal for OZ Architecture, which has designed a number of senior living communities in Colorado.
Although senior living communities may use interchangeable terms, “the name clues you into what the community is geared toward,” Mohlenkamp says. An active aging community may have an emphasis on providing hands-on activities and excursions for residents while a retirement home or leisure community may have a more laid-back approach to amenities.
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Determining the type of retirement lifestyle you want can make it easier to select a community that will be a good fit. “Are you a social, active person looking to meet new people and take up new hobbies?” asks Nancy Chiquoine, marketing director at Wake Robin, a Life Plan community in Shelburne, Vermont. “Would you rather spend time quietly reflecting or puttering? Figure out the answer to these questions before committing to a retirement facility.”
Names can be helpful in sorting out the various types of facilities, but the only way to truly understand how a community operates is to pay a personal visit. Stopping by an assisted living facility during mealtime or a scheduled activity can be a good way to get a feel for these homes. Some independent living communities may allow potential residents to spend the night in a guest apartment.
Getting the best of both worlds. When deciding between senior living and assisted living, one challenge is weighing current needs with future ones. “The type of facility you choose should also match your current needs as well as needs you see on the horizon,” Chiquoine says.
Making a move in retirement can be a big step for seniors, and having to uproot a second time to an assisted living, memory care or nursing home can be stressful. The solution may be a Life Plan community, which brings together all types of care on one property. Previously known as continuing care retirement communities, Life Plan communities must follow guidelines that stipulate they have more than one level of care on a single campus, provide a focus on active living and work to integrate with the local community.
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Although Life Plan communities may require residents to change apartments or buildings as they require greater care, the transition may be easier than moving to an entirely new facility. Plus, Mohlenkamp notes these communities can be ideal for couples who need varying levels of care but want to live in close proximity. For instance, the healthier person can remain in independent living while the husband or wife lives next door in the assisted living building.
Moving from your house is a big decision and not one you want to make lightly. Take the time to understand the difference between independent and assisted living options to ensure you end up in the right community for your needs.
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Senior Living or Assisted Living: Which Is Right for You? originally appeared on usnews.com
