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SENIOR HEALTH
Senior Living
FIGURING OUT WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU
By Jan Rupnick
Senior housing has come a long way over the years. Starting
approximately 30 years ago, this industry saw new options develop to
meet the demands of a growing senior population. Initially limited
in its offerings, there is now a plethora of senior housing options
available.
With more and more baby
boomers getting ready to retire, the senior housing market is
growing with new senior housing developments. Some baby boomers are
looking into senior housing options for themselves, while others are
looking for communities that can help care for their aging parents.
Finding the right option comes down to knowing what's available and
understanding the needs of the person who is going to be living in
the community. Below are descriptions of the various senior housing
options available and the segments of the senior population that
they serve.
Independent Senior Housing
For seniors who are tired of maintaining their own home or looking
to down-size, independent senior housing is ideal. Those looking to
move into an independent senior living community have two choices.
One is to purchase a senior condominium and the second is to rent a
senior living apartment. Both provide independent, active seniors
with the freedom they enjoy, but without all of the burdens of home
ownership like mowing the lawn, shoveling the snow, or making home
repairs. Some independent senior communities have also adapted a
lifestyle approach, including such amenities as a salon and spa,
golf course, on-site restaurants, on-site shopping, housekeeping and
more.
Assisted Living
Assisted living provides a great alternative for seniors who need
some additional help with medication, grooming, dressing, eating,
etc. Assisted living has two options including; Residential Care
Apartment Communities (RCAC), which allows seniors to live in their
own apartment, but only offers 28 hours of care, and Community-Based
Residential Care Facility or CBRF. This type of community is an
ideal living option for seniors who need more assistance that what
can be provided by an RCAC, offering care 24 hours a day, seven days
a week. Assisted living communities tend to offer more of a
residential, home-like environment, as well as provide meals, social
activities, housekeeping and transportation.
Specialized Care Community
There are some CBRFs that specialize in caring for one kind of
illness. One of the most common is an Alzheimer's or memory
impairment care community. In specialized assisted living
communities, the environment, staff and programming is specifically
designed to meet the unique needs of those individuals who are
living there. Like a non-specialized assisted living community, a
specialized care community also provides 24/7 care, social
programming, meals, housekeeping and transportation are generally
provided.
Nursing Home
This is probably the most commonly known, but often confused type of
senior living option. It's also one of the only options that used to
be available to seniors. Nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled
nursing services for seniors who need rehabilitation after a
surgery, or require care for issues like feeding tubes. The levels
of hospitality services in nursing homes vary greatly depending on
their targeted clientele.
Whether you're looking
to down-size your home or a community to meet the needs of an aging
parent, there is a senior living community to meet your needs. Being
prepared and understanding the options available will help you to
choose what type of senior living community is best for you or your
loved one.
Byline: Jan Rupnick is the director of public relations for CRL
Senior Living Communities. CRL owns and operates state-of-the-art
senior care residences that deliver the highest quality,
cutting-edge level of care in specially designed therapeutic
environments. The company meets the needs of seniors with
independent living, assisted living and Alzheimer's/dementia care
communities.
Modern Health and Living is a newsmagazine
dedicated to healthy living for all ages. In each edition we
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readers body and mind. Each edition has
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