When a member of the family has reached an age when they should not be living alone, or perhaps husband and wife have become physically challenged and unable to maintain a home, senior assisted living may be the perfect solution for them. Many of the burdens of maintaining a home are gone, and for some, even the daily routine of self-care has become a difficult task, with physical limitations creeping into a formerly independent life. Keeping in mind that personal care is often not included with “room and board,” there are different levels and combinations of assistance, depending on choice, and individual needs will vary from resident to resident. Some facilities offer services in “tiers” related to dependency or need.
The apartment accommodation
For an individual who is still quite active, there are facilities that offer services in a hotel/apartment setting. Meals, housekeeping, utilities are provided as basic services in most senior assisted living accommodations. Residents enjoy their privacy in an apartment, visit with each other, or use community spaces for watching television, playing cards, or using a small library. Some facilities offer a permanent beauty shop in the building. It can be a very pleasant experience for someone who is used to living alone. Moreover it is comforting for the person and the family to know that the resident can be professionally monitored, and, at the same time be surrounded by friends who will be concerned enough to care about them. It is also possible for husband and wife to live in this type of facility. Some apartments are large enough to accommodate a second resident.
A single-family residential arrangement
A husband and wife might prefer to live in a senior assisted living community that offers detached or duplex housing. They may have given up a large home when faced with one of them needing more assistance than the other could reasonably provide. In these accommodations, assistance from staff is minimal. The residents is free to leave and return as they wish, using the van service. Privacy may be large factors for the couple who choose this arrangement. A healthcare professional is typically accessible and can provide oversight, if required. Meals in an administrative building are usually provided, or can be delivered. Some communities provide electric carts for local transportation.
The large, single story residence
Occupancy is based on single or double room arrangements and residents are free to leave and return. Typical senior assisted living amenities offered will be healthcare monitoring and assistance with activities of daily living. Meals in the communal dining room and social activities provided for those who are able and want to participate are part of the basic fee. This type of multi-roomed facility is most useful for seniors who have become fragile and need to have access to personal care assistance.
For more information about senior housing communities in the Southeast and Pennsylvania, please visit http://www.slm.net. Senior Living Management Corp and its affiliates (SLM) operate and develop assisted living facilities throughout the Southeast and Pennsylvania.