4 Ways Moving into Assisted Living Can Actually INCREASE Freedom for Seniors

One of the most significant concerns older men and women have when it comes to assisted living is this notion, they will lose certain freedoms and independence. This is often due to a wide range of misconceptions. When people have preconceived notions about various topics, like assisted living, it becomes easy to make assumptions.

In reality, though, assisted living is one of the best options for elderly men and women, especially those who may have some difficulty with daily life or who no longer want to be burdened with cleaning, preparing meals every night, doing laundry, and basically maintaining a house.

In truth, moving to assisted living can actually increase freedom for many seniors. This may sound counterintuitive, but it is true. Below are four ways that an older person can actually find their freedom improving once they make that decision to move into assisted living.

1. They no longer have to worry about daily tasks.

Assisted Living in Mobile, AL: Assisted Living and Freedom

As an elder care option, assisted living provides seniors the ability to live the kind of life they want without the everyday hassles of maintaining their home. Whether they live in an apartment, an in-law with family, a house, condo, townhome, or some other dwelling, there are certain responsibilities connected to that life.

It might be vacuuming, cleaning the toilet, washing up the tub or shower, cooking, and so on. These daily tasks can be extremely difficult for a person of advancing years. Just keeping up with daily cleaning can take up so much time they don’t have an opportunity to do anything else.

2. A quality assisted living facility should offer a variety of activities.

Each assisted living community is different so don’t try to equate one with another. One community may provide a certain range of activities for their elderly residents while a different one focuses on different activities.

However, the point is this: a quality assisted living community will provide its residents with plenty of opportunities to pursue a host of activities, including perhaps arts and crafts, music, getting to the local mall or art gallery or museum, playing games with friends, entertainment, and more.

3. Residents don’t have set schedules.

Whereas some seniors may have to wake up at a specific time because their adult child, neighbor, friend, or somebody else is going to stop by to assist them with certain things, they don’t have to worry about that at most assisted living facilities.

They can set their own schedules, wake up when they want, stay in the room most of the day if they choose, go to breakfast at 11 in the morning, dinner at three in the afternoon, and so forth.

That kind of freedom can be a breath of fresh air for many people.

4. They don’t have to obey an adult child who is a caregiver.

As an elder care option, assisted living means they don’t simply have to do what their adult child is telling them to do, just in order to receive support when they need it. Staff at assisted living will be ready to assist if and when they need it, and they still can decide what they do each day.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Mobile, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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