Enjoy Maintaining Your Independence at a Senior Community
Are you looking for independent living apartments for seniors? Since most individuals would prefer to remain independent after retiring, living in a community that provides residents with assistance when needed enables them to do do.
A recent survey showed that 89.3% of the individuals that lived in independent living facilities for seniors stated they had a good or excellent experience. Most, or 84.5% of the participants, indicated that they would recommend their community to others.
Prior to moving into their current community, 60% of the participants in a National Research customer satisfaction survey stated that they had visited 2 or more communities. Their choice of new home was based on these factors:
- Reputation and recommendations: 44%
- Location: 40%
Having access to services is another reason why seniors choose these communities. While only some of these may be desired or needed, it’s important to be aware of these and other beneficial services:
- 24-hour supervision
- Meals and snacks are served in a dining room 3 times per day
- Personal care services
- Health care services
- Medication management
- Social services
- Transportation arrangements
- Laundry service
- Housekeeping
- Maintenance
In addition to receiving assistance with the above daily living activities, the seniors in these independent living situations enjoy engaging in a variety of activities. These included going on bike rides, gardening, visiting with friends and family on the telephone, and watching television shows. The study also indicated that its participants found these activities to be particularly meaningful:
- Reading: 71%
- Religious activities: 53%
Since many of the individuals that reside in assisted living communities have some type of chronic condition, such as high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, or another type of dementia, it’s important to note that memory care activities can also be provided. The cost of memory care will vary among facilities, however.
Assisted living communities in Washington, D.C., for example, cost significantly more than the national average. The monthly cost for facilities within this area usually exceed $5,700. Depending on the area where you are looking for an assisted living community, it’s likely the cost of memory care will be considerably less.
Many senior that have chosen to become part of an independent living retirement community have been pleasantly surprised at their experience, according to the “2009 Independent Living Report” by the ProMatura Group, LLC. The report indicated that when individuals are part of a community, they are more likely to make new friends and engage in new activities. As a result, they reported having a more positive experience than they had previously anticipated.
If you’re looking for senior independent living apartments, it’s important to remember that they provide a variety of services. You can discuss the cost of memory care, if required, when you take a tour of the community. It’s also important to remember that active seniors can continue to engage in meaningful pursuits while interacting with others.