More often than not, seniors would prefer to “age in place”, or stay in their own home throughout their retirement years. Naturally, this seems the easiest way… after all, you’ve worked for most of your life to finally get to the point where you finally get to relax! There are many services available to you to help out when you something gets to be too much to handle, including at-home nursing services, but is aging in place always the best option? Here are eight reasons to consider the option of moving to a retirement community, courtesy of seniorliving.com.
- Current or potential changes to your physical health. Whether you are in excellent or less-than-ideal health right now, taking a full perspective of your overall wellbeing is important, especially as you age. At-home nursing care is available should you need it, but some retirement homes, including University Village, offer a wide range of care options from independent living to full-time nursing care, bringing you peace of mind no matter what your health may be.
- Subtle hints about changes to your mental health. Deteriorating mental health is a scary thing. Seniors can be at risk of developing depression or a degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s. Once again, considering the full perspective of mental health is vital to making sure you are safe and happy for a long time to come.
- Capability in everyday tasks. Taking care of the house is a bigger task than it seems, especially as we begin to slow down as we age. Cleaning, cooking, keeping up with the yard… the tasks can really pile up. And if your health deteriorates to the point where you can no longer participate in normal hygiene upkeep, a home health aide will be necessary. Retirement homes can offer you a lot of help in all of these areas, without the additional costs of hired help adding up on your monthly bills.
- Security concerns. Seniors ought to feel secure in their own homes. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and safety is sometimes an issue. Retirement homes offer safer options, often complete with security guards and plenty of emergency measures should a situation arise.
- Friends and Community. While retirement offers you plenty of time to pursue your own interests independently, it also dwindles your social circle in many ways. Maintaining daily (or even weekly) interactions with others can be difficult as you “age in place”, but retirement communities offer built-in options to meet and spend time with your neighbors and friends when you want to.
- Nutritional needs. Keeping up with your dietary needs can be difficult, depending on how much you enjoy grocery shopping and cooking. Eating a healthy diet is important to maintaining health, and retirement communities make it easier by offering menus specially curated for seniors.
- Transportation. Often seniors find themselves in need of transportation as they no longer feel comfortable or unable to drive themselves. Retirement communities offer an easier solution to begging friends and neighbors for a ride… for one, they often have everything you need available to you right on the same property. They also offer shuttles to take you where you need to be, allowing you to have all the freedom you need.
- Negates the need for home modifications. Once again, as you age your mobility changes, requiring in some cases major home modifications, such as grab bars and ramps. Retirement homes are designed specifically with accessibility in mind, so you won’t find yourself needing to remodel anytime soon.
Choosing a nursing home Tulsa OK community is a big decision, and one that University Village can help you with. Click here to learn about our senior living communities in Tulsa OK locations and schedule a tour today.
