Discovering Your Senior Loved One’s Assisted Living Expectations

June 15, 2023 by ·
Assisted Living Daphne AL

Assisted Living Daphne AL

If you have an elderly loved one in your life who needs extra support on a regular or semi regular basis, but has shot down the idea of assisted living repeatedly, do you know why? A lot of people have misconceptions about assisted living.

They simply don’t know very much about it and associate it with other elder care facilities. That’s an unfortunate part of life, but many people rely on their misconceptions rather than learning what certain things can offer, most notably assisted living.

A great way to understand why an aging parent, grandparent, spouse, or even a friend is not considering assisted living, could help you figure out what information to present to them to counter their misunderstandings.

Common Misconceptions

Some of the most common and notable misconceptions that elderly men and women have about assisted living is that it’s like other facility style care. People don’t want to be put in a home, so to speak, and forgotten about.

For other seniors, they see it as a loss of independence and freedom. In reality, both of these are completely wrong. Yes, it can be considered a facility, but it’s not like other elder care facilities.

Assisted living is about helping seniors maximize quality of life while being surrounded by experienced staff members ready to assist with whatever people need. Whether it’s support getting in and out of the shower, reminders about when it’s time to take medication, or simply offering a helping hand to get up from a chair, a quality assisted living facility “assists” seniors during their time of need.

As far as independence and freedom is concerned, seniors maintain that completely. In other words, just because somebody moves into an assisted living facility doesn’t mean they have to give up all of their inherent rights.

Aging seniors can come and go as they please at a quality facility. They can go out with family and friends. They don’t need permission. It is preferable that they let somebody on staff know they’re going out for a while, mostly to keep track and make sure they haven’t wandered off somewhere. Other than that, seniors can go where they want, with whom they want, and do pretty much anything they want.

Are There Freedom Limitations in Assisted Living?

Only to the degree that is meant to keep them safe. Yes, during the pandemic many assisted living facilities shut down visitation. This was done as a necessity to protect the residents from a virus people knew little about.

Many facilities have learned hard lessons on the importance of physical contact, visitation, and much more. For the most part, a quality assisted living facility encourages visitation, outings, and staying active for their residents.

If you want to understand why an aging senior in your life has not considering assisted living, find out what to expect. This will give you great insight on how to turn the conversation toward the benefits it offers.

If you or an aging loved one are considering a move to Assisted Living in Daphne, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

Filed Under: Assisted Living, Assisted Living Adjustment, Assisted Living Daphne AL · Tagged: , ,
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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