Today’s seniors are living longer and healthier lives. With a longer future in front of them, seniors have more choices, and a greater say in how they want to enjoy life after retirement as they head into their seventies, eighties, and nineties. Senior communities have risen to the demands of this vibrant population, offering more amenities, greater variety, and a higher standard of living than ever before. If you’re new to today’s senior communities, you might be pleasantly surprised at how they’ve evolved from what you might be imagining from years past.
Here are some of the top myths surrounding senior living and why they aren’t true:
Myth #1: You’ll Lose Your Independence
Aging seniors living in their own homes often don’t realize how much independence they’ve given up. Having to keep up with daily home maintenance, arrange for help with errands and upkeep, and for some, not having a partner or companion can leave a senior feeling lonely, isolated, and helpless. Senior living is designed to offer residents all kinds of freedom. It allows them to live in comfortable surroundings they don’t need to maintain, eat delicious meals they don’t need to prepare, and take advantage of intellectual, physical, and social enrichment opportunities they don’t need to seek out.
Myth #2: You’ll Have to Give Up the Things You Love
We all tend to seek out the familiar, and this tendency often increases as we age. Seniors often express anxiety over leaving familiar touchpoints in their lives, whether it’s a community of people, like their local parish or a mail carrier they enjoy chatting with each day. The truth is that a move to senior living doesn’t have to change all that. Local seniors can continue to attend their regular church service or visit favorite shops, libraries, and other destinations, either with their car or through provided transportation. And while they may be saying goodbye to some old favorites, they are gaining access to new experiences and different stimuli, a process that has been proven critical to maintaining aging brain health.
Myth #3: It’s Too Expensive
Here’s another common assumption that can cause seniors to hesitate. Quality senior living is certainly an investment that deserves careful attention and thorough research. But the good news is many personalized options allow for greater flexibility. It’s a good idea to set up informational meetings at a few communities to learn about what is being offered at varying price points. You’ll be able to perform more informed cost comparisons and gather details on potential opportunities for cost savings at each community. It’s also worth noting that, depending on one’s current living situation, costs of living at home may not be that far off from the costs of a senior living community.
Misperceptions about senior living communities are plentiful, often because we typically think of the typical nursing homes of yesteryear. We suggest scheduling a tour of several potential communities to have your questions answered and to get a sense of what a vibrant senior living community can offer. There’s no substitute for walking through a space and seeing firsthand how the residents there are living and thriving.