Within the realm of elder care, assisted living is one of the best options, yet not many seniors realize this. In fact, a lot of elderly men and women discount assisted living for one reason or another. Most of the time it comes down to a variety of misconceptions people have about it.
People make excuses to not even listen to information about something or try something new. When it comes to assisted living, though, there are some great ways to tear down those barriers that aging men and women put up to not even consider assisted living.
Respite care services.
Assisted Living Mobile, AL: Excuses and Assisted Living
One of the best is known as respite care. For family caregivers and others who understand the impact that stress and anxiety can have on their life, they probably know what respite care means.
They also likely recognize how important it is. Respite care essentially refers to a type of care that a short term. It is a break, a respite, a reprieve. It doesn’t always have to be for the caregiver, either. It can also be about the senior.
Ultimately, all respite care is about the person who needs support the most. Yet, for many of the nearly 45 million family caregivers taking care of elderly and disabled loved ones in the United States right now (Forbes), a break, a reprieve, some time to themselves would be a welcome change.
That’s what certain assisted living communities can offer: respite care services to elderly men and women.
What might these respite care services at assisted living be?
It all depends on the facility, of course, but some may offer elderly residents in the community the opportunity to be dropped off in the evening hours, to spend the night there sleeping in a shared or even a private room, and then to be picked up in the morning.
This can be a wonderful option for seniors who may have difficulty with mobility and whose primary support system — most likely a family member, like an adult child or spouse — may not be able to assist them during those nighttime hours.
An assisted living facility may also provide the option for seniors to live at the facility for a few days a week. Some may even offer short-term stays, like a few weeks or a month or two, at most.
How can this help to break down the excuses seniors tend to use?
When an elderly person spends time at a quality assisted living facility, they quickly understand the realities of it rather than leaning on their misconceptions and misunderstandings. When they connect with peers, make friends, or even reconnect with old friends they haven’t seen in a long time, they start to understand why assisted living is a great elder care option.
All of their misgivings can be set aside from firsthand experience. That’s one of the secondary ancillary benefits that respite care at assisted living offers, the first being safe, supportive care to seniors who need it most.
About Cindy Johnson
Follow Us!