When deciding whether to move from their current home to a retirement community, there are many aspects that older persons need to consider. How will this change affect their health, social life, and personal contentment?
Many benefits come with supported independent living, including a fresh start for those looking to simplify certain responsibilities after retirement, such as shopping for groceries or performing regular home maintenance tasks.
Below, let’s examine just a few different ways our loved ones can truly benefit from Ontario supported living and how this change in residence will positively impact them!
1. More personal independence
Through the years, older adults have no doubt spent countless hours repairing issues like leaky roofs and flooding basements in their homes, not to mention all the work that goes into lawn and garden maintenance.
However, moving into a supported independent living environment ensures that these kinds of tasks are taken care of for our loved ones.
The long list of chores they’ve had to see over the years will be handled by the staff and service team members who work at their chosen residence, allowing these older ones to simplify and enjoy their daily life.
Without worrying about chores being done, older persons can dedicate more hours to the things they find fulfilling, like spending time with friends and family, cultivating their hobbies and personal interests, or simply having more time during the day to relax in their own company.
2. Opportunity to spend time with family and make new friends
One significant benefit to supported independent living is that our older loved ones will join a community of other residents, allowing them to make new friends.
Residents will have many opportunities to participate in shared activities or enjoy a meal with their new neighbours, which will help ease their transition.
Independent supported living also allows our loved ones to spend quality time with friends and family, as their reduced personal responsibilities will free up their schedule.
This freedom will allow more chances to share special occasions and spend quality time with loved ones, whether in person, over the phone, or through video conference.
3. Good quality food and nutrition
Independent supported living for seniors ensures that certain daily tasks will no longer be the sole responsibility of those in residence, including preparing meals.
The on-site chefs prepare delicious, flavourful meals with good-quality ingredients that will provide proper nutrition and delight your taste buds.
Residents with special dietary restrictions will be accommodated, so they won’t have to worry about consuming foods that aren’t conducive to maintaining their health.
Further, having their food prepared for them will allow older persons to enjoy their meals leisurely without worrying about cleaning up the dishes or restocking their pantries!
4. On-site convenience
Another great benefit to retirement in independent supported living is the convenience of certain services.
Depending on their chosen residence, older persons can take advantage of services like medication management, suite cleaning, meal preparation, 24-hour emergency response, and other amenities available in or nearby their independent living community.
This level of convenience allows older ones to simplify their lives further, forgoing any worries about having assistance on hand when needed. These needs being met by residence staff members allows older persons to use their extra time in any way they choose.
5. Safety and long-term security
As mentioned above, supported independent living allows older persons to enjoy their freedom from certain tasks and chores that previously consumed large parts of their daily life.
Meeting these needs frees up their time and better ensures the safety of older ones who may need extra help with specific tasks.
Older individuals experiencing decreased balance, cognitive ability, or a similar affliction may need more assistance with chores such as cooking and cleaning.
By taking care of these chores, older ones won’t need to worry about the risk of sustaining injuries, allowing them to enjoy a more carefree life and offering reassurance to their loved ones.
In addition to safety, taking up residency in a supported living community allows older persons to better plan for the future. Residents can lead their daily lives with relative peace of mind, knowing that if an issue arises, they will have the support of nearby staff.
In the meantime, older adults can enjoy their lives comfortably and safely, while family members can relax knowing that their loved ones are being properly looked after.
6. Increased focus on wellness
Supported independent living communities allow older adults to focus on their wellness and enjoy a healthy life.
With their previous responsibilities being handled by staff, their free time can be dedicated to trying different exercise classes, spending more time in nature, surrounding themselves with loved ones, and enjoying healthy foods, all of which contribute to sound physical and mental well-being.
Another contributor to wellness is feelings of joy and contentment, which older adults can increase by using their newfound freedom to pursue various passions and interests.
They can join volunteer efforts, help and guide younger ones, or take up hobbies such as painting or learning a new language.
These activities benefit our loved ones, as meaningful pastimes can also have a favourable impact on those around them.
Further, older persons can better prioritize their wellness by finding things to laugh about! Interestingly, laughing relieves stress and muscle tension and improves our immune system, vital to enjoying a long, happy life as we age.
Consider supported independent living for your retirement
Joining a supported and independent living community could be the perfect retirement lifestyle for you or your loved one. This option allows you to enjoy more freedom with fewer worries and responsibilities associated with traditional home ownership.
To learn more about supported independent living, contact your local retirement community today to organize a tour to see what it’s like inside.
