Many use the term “aging in place,” but what does it mean? In short, it means to live independently in your community as you age. Wherever your community is, you deserve to live in the area you love without sacrificing your needs.
Aging in place can mean staying in your own home, with your family, or in a senior living community. Continue reading to learn more about what aging in place means and the benefits it provides.
What is Aging in Place?
Aging in place is known as the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level. This is the goal for many older Americans; in a survey of adults aged 55 and older, 76% want to stay in their current communities as they age.
What Does Aging in Place Mean?
Aging in place does not mean simply staying in your house; it means living happily and healthily in the community you call home.
Living in a place that can continually adapt to your needs, such as a senior living community, is beneficial when aging in place. When you first move into your new home, you may not need any help with your daily life. You can live independently and make new connections and friendships.
As your needs change, you don’t need to worry about moving into a new community; you can stay in the same place you’ve come to call home. Senior living communities bring the care you need to you, including help with:
- Housekeeping
- Caregiving
- Emotional support
- Activities of daily living
Aging in Place in a Senior Living Community
As you age, your needs change, but a senior living community can offer whatever support you require. They allow you to live your life while knowing someone is there to help.
With senior living communities, you can form a social community, make friendships, and meet your needs. Depending on your unique needs, support can include help with your health and wellness or a daily check-in to make sure you’re doing well.
Senior living communities provide amenities you can experience with ease. These can help you achieve your social, recreational, educational, and spiritual needs. Some amenities include:
- Community rooms
- A chapel
- A fitness center
- A library
- Socializing areas
You can create friendships and have unique experiences while enjoying your life. If you require more hands-on care, you can receive this without moving to a new home; the available support can change to meet your evolving needs.
Care Based On Your Evolving Needs
Living on your own can be more difficult as you age. You may need help moving around, getting up, or cooking meals, but you have caring staff available at all times in a senior living community.
You may need more help, but you don’t need to worry about losing the connections you’ve made; you don’t need to move to a new home to receive the care assisted living provides.
Senior living communities bring the care you need to you. You can continue cultivating your friendships while remaining in the community you love.
If you need more consistent care, your living community can offer this. You can have hands-on, 24-hour care, including help to and from social interactions, prepared meals, and housekeeping. In a senior living community, your care changes based on your developing needs.
No matter how much your needs change, you can stay in a community you feel connected to, and this is one of the benefits of aging in place.
The Benefits of Aging in Place
Aging in place has advantages for anyone staying in their community. These benefits play an important role in healthy aging and can even lower your risk of cognitive decline. The main benefits include:
A Sense of Belonging
Many search for a place where they feel they belong for their whole lives. A supportive, inclusive community can have a positive effect on your health, especially as you age.
Studies have found that people in friendly, supportive communities have better overall health. Strong social connections correlate with a lower rate of cognitive decline, and older adults can benefit from the friendships they make.
Aging In place allows you to stay in the community you have grown to love, preserving the connections you have made. This sense of belonging is vital for seniors’ health and lowers the risk of dementia.
Continued Emotional Support
People are generally social beings, but many can suffer from feelings of isolation or loneliness. Older adults are at an increased risk of isolation, especially if they suffer from physical ailments or lack a support system.
Friendships, community engagement, and social groups can provide mental health-related benefits for older adults, and you preserve these connections when aging in place. But what happens when you need more consistent support or cannot attend the activities you used to attend?
Aging in place allows you to stay around the same nurses, friends, and family you lean on for support. Your needs may change, but you don’t need to worry about losing your community. No matter the level of support you need, you have a loving group surrounding you.
Evolving Care Without Sacrificing Your Community
Senior living communities can let you age in place without having to worry about what happens if you require more support. You can enjoy 24-hour care based on your unique needs without leaving your community behind. Senior living brings care to you.
If you’re interested in the different lifestyle options senior living can provide, contact your local senior living community.
