You have decided that you are ready to move into one of the retirement homes you have recently seen advertised around your community. You wonder what this will mean for you. Will you lose your privacy? Will you lose your independence? Can you still invite family and friends over as you please? Does this mean that you are too old to live and care for yourself? The answer to all of these common questions is no. Making the choice to move to the assisted lifestyle does not mean that you are losing out on your independence and your privacy. You are not too old to care for and live on your own. You can still make the rules of your home and come and go as you please. What are the benefits of moving into an assisted lifestyle type of home?
You will have an added level of safety and security that you cannot get living on your own. Although you can still hold onto your independence, the retirement communities are gated and secure. They provide security who monitor anyone who comes and goes from the community. You still are able to come and go as you please, simply checking in and out with the community gate. This is simply to ensure that all residents of the community are safe. 74% of assisted living residents are female and 26% are male. Many women prefer the safety of the retirement communities, especially when they are living at home alone.
The assisted lifestyle also provides its residents with medical safety. A retirement community may still be an option for you, even if you have no medical concerns. However, if a medical concern were to arise, especially an emergency, the assisted lifestyle provides its residents with emergency care. You can call for help very easily, something that might not be possible if you were living on your own, in your own home. In a recent survey, 81% of retirees cited good health as the most important ingredient for a happy retirement. Choosing the assisted lifestyle provides you with the guarantee of the safety from any medical emergencies.
Even if you are lucky enough to have no medical concerns at retirement, you may still find it difficult to move around as much as you used to. This can make cleaning your home and running daily errands more difficult. Some of the assisted living services include assistance with these daily activities. You can request someone to do the grocery shopping for you. You can also be provided community meals, making it so you do not have to cook every day.
Once you retire and you live on your own, you may find that it becomes very lonely. When you are a part of a retirement community, you will find many options to socialize and meet new retired friends. According to the 2009 Independent Living Report by the ProMatura Group, LLC, research shows that when you become part of an independent living retirement community, you are more likely to make new friends and try new things and most report a better experience than they expected. The assisted living options for activities are endless, and you will find that you enjoy all of the social options.
Finally, with the assisted lifestyle, you will find that the convenience of having everything right there is very helpful. You will have transportation to local shopping and dining attractions and you will find it much more convenient in having access to everything that you need on a daily basis.
Many seniors may be hesitant to move into a retirement community. They may feel that they are losing their independence and their privacy. However, it is actually just the opposite. You are able to hold onto these importance aspects of your life, by adding in the convenience, security, safety and socialization that you crave as a new retiree. Most retirees find that their retirement community experiences are much better than they ever could have imagined. The assisted lifestyle is a wonderful one that will quickly make you feel like you made the right living decision.
