Although this topic - choosing senior living at the right time - has been relevant and important for many years, it feels even more pressing in our current times. With so many questions and concerns in the world, though, it can be easy to put off decisions about senior living.
Reasons to Start Planning for Senior Living
Although we recognize that there are so many important things on everyone’s minds right now, we urge you to start thinking about -- and planning for -- senior living right now. Here are three of the most important reasons why:
1. Your loved one’s health and safety are essential.
There are many layers to this element of a senior living decision. In recent times, you may have seen some alarming headlines and clickbait regarding senior living and COVID-19. It’s important to know that a vast majority of senior living communities (including us here at Veranda of Pensacola) have implemented extensive safety precautions to keep our residents, staff, and visitors safe.
It’s also important to consider other aspects of health, particularly mental and emotional health. Recent times have been especially difficult for seniors. Physical distancing, avoiding family gatherings and more have increased feelings of isolation and loneliness that are incredibly common among seniors -- and that’s before all the restrictions that many seniors have gone through since COVID.
2. Community and engagement have never been more important.
Sadly, loneliness doesn’t just impact the mental health of your senior loved ones - it can actually have a detrimental effect on physical health, leading to increased risks for dementia, heart disease, and even death - among other ailments.
With a move into senior living, your loved one gains instant access to a community of supportive neighbors and staff. With a range of activities and amenities that encourage your loved one to stay active while keeping safe, loneliness is far less of an issue than when at home. In senior living communities, your loved one can be as involved, or as private, as he or she wishes.
3. You may have less flexibility if you wait.
Although this may sound a bit like a scare tactic, it’s a very true reality - many senior living communities have waiting lists. At any given time, your loved one could face anywhere from a few months’ wait to a year or more!
Depending on the circumstances, that could mean missing out entirely on your loved one’s preferred senior living community. And it doesn’t get much bigger than choosing your next home - not getting a number one choice could have a major impact on the happiness and health of your loved one.
It’s also an unfortunate reality that circumstances can change rapidly as our loved ones get older. Seemingly stable health conditions can suddenly take a turn. New medical problems can arise. And your loved one’s needs can change in an instant. We’ve met with countless families over the years who were thrust into a hurried decision and vetting process of potential senior living communities. They just didn’t think they needed to choose senior living yet for their loved one.
Planning, vetting and having goals in place can help provide some calm in a storm if your senior loved one’s situation changes suddenly. And moving into senior living ahead of needs changes can help ensure your loved one has the care and support system in place that he or she needs to navigate through challenges.
Ready to Choose a Senior Living Community?
Our team here at Veranda of Pensacola are here to help! Wherever you are in your planning and decision-making process, we are happy to answer your questions, provide information and help you make the best decision for your loved one. To learn more, call us at (850) 780-8677 or through our website.
