There are many things that we know about assisted living that turn out to not be true at all. These myths are hindrances to us and our understanding of senior care, and they prevent us from being able to provide the best care possible for elderly loved ones. Here are a few of the big myths that keep persisting when it comes to assisted living.
Assisted living means a loss of privacy. In reality, the top assisted living facilities allow seniors to maintain quite a bit of independence. Care is provided, and it is catered to needs and wants. Some facilities will even offer individual rooms if they are available. Living with other people might seem like it forces you to be less private, but this is up to the individual at the highest quality homes. Instead of a loss of privacy, it’s more of an increased availability when it comes to social situations.
If you move into an assisted living facility, you’ll never see your family again. This one depends upon your family. If you are reading this, looking for information for an elderly loved one, ask yourself this question: Are you going to never see your mom or dad again once they move? That should clear up this myth right away. Moving away is strictly a care concern; it has nothing to do with family. Maybe family won’t be in the same house anymore, but that doesn’t mean that you’re never going to see everyone again.
Living in a community means giving up hobbies. Your parent has things they enjoy doing. At a good home, they can keep doing those things. It doesn’t matter if it’s gardening, jigsaw puzzles, or reading and writing. Your mom or dad should still have access to doing the things that are most fun for them. Maybe they will have to give up skydiving and motorcycle racing, but that’s dependent upon their physical health, and not at all on where they are receiving care.
Assisted living facilities are a last stop for the elderly. The truth is, assisted living facilities can be very active locations. Many of the residents in these homes are still very mentally sharp, but they have some physical need that needs to be addressed in order to keep them safe. There are homes that have dances, exercise classes, and other similar activities. They certainly do not and should not be a morbid place. They are places where your loved one can go to get a little extra help and interact with people their own age on a daily basis.
If you still have concerns about assisted living, in-home care serves many of the same functions, but within the home. There’s no need to relocate or anything like that. What’s best for your family is up to you, but do know that there are options for you and your loved one. One big difference is that assisted living has built in around the clock care while in-home care is typically for the hours that the person in need is left alone–usually around eight hours a day. What’s best for you and your family is up to you.
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