As we grow older, our primary goals tend to remain the same – to continue living a purposeful and meaningful life. Yet if your parents are beginning to need help with the daily tasks of living, they may fear that they’ll lose their independence by moving to an assisted living community. It’s often a great surprise for them to discover that the many advantages of living in a community will actually help them maintain, and maybe even gain back, some of their independence.

What is assisted living?

These communities provide private and age-friendly residences for those who need assistance with basic daily tasks, such as bathing safely, dressing, grooming or managing their medications.

They are designed to promote the independence of their residents and support them to remain actively engaged in living their best lives. While each community can be different, they typically offer the following amenities and services - either à la carte or as a fixed fee:

• Assistance with the tasks of daily living
• Nutritious dining programs
• A monthly calendar of planned activities
• Social events and entertainment
• Fitness centers or exercise classes
• Opportunities to meet and make new friends
• Scheduled transportation
• Housekeeping and laundry services
• Security and added safety features
• Maintenance-free living

How assisted living helps residents maintain their independence

When families discover what assisted living is, they may be comforted and assured to learn how the benefits of community life can actually help their parents remain more independent.

Consider the following descriptions and features that community life has to offer:

Older adults often express regret in having to rely on their adult children. An assisted living community provides services and help whenever needed. This allows families to relinquish their duties of caregiving so they can once again enjoy spending time together as children and parents.

Communities encourage residents to choose how they want to live, when and what they’d like to eat and which activities they want to participate in. They also retain a private residence when they’re more in the mood to stay home and watch a classic movie or read a good book.

Your parent’s current home may not have been designed to support aging-in-place. Many families discover that expensive and extensive renovations are required to provide a safe and comfortable environment. Assisted living residences are move-in ready, making life safer, more accommodating and much easier to enjoy a hassle-free lifestyle.

Older adults recognize they still need to eat healthy foods for both their body and mind but may find that shopping for ingredients, preparing meals and cleaning up are becoming more of a challenge. An assisted living community takes care of everything, including fulfilling any special dietary needs.

If your parent has become less comfortable or no longer drives, it’s often easy to isolate at home rather than asking others for rides. Scheduled transportation is provided for residents in assisted living communities. Whether it’s to medical appointments, shopping or fun activities, there’s no need to miss out.

Being able to go to a gym or to join others in activities can become more of a challenge for your parents as they grow older. But in a community, they’ll find a choice of exercise classes, art studios, book clubs and a monthly calendar of scheduled events so they can keep both their bodies and minds stimulated.

Your parents may find it more difficult to get together with others, participate in social events or have lunch with friends. When they make an assisted living community their home, they’ll enjoy having privacy when they want it but also enjoy many opportunities to share their lives with others.

Your parents will enjoy no longer needing to worry about home upkeep if they move into a community. A maintenance-free lifestyle often ranks at or near the top of a retiree’s list when choosing how they want to live. Eliminating expensive and unexpected repairs, yard work and constant chores provides free time to spend as they wish.  

Even if your parents haven’t shared their concerns with you, it’s not uncommon for older adults to feel less safe or become more concerned about what they would do if they needed help and were alone. Residents in an assisted living community are reassured that help is always available whenever it might be required.

Life at Eskaton Communities

The word Eskaton means “dawn of a new day.” In our communities, we see each day as an opportunity to enhance the lives of our residents. We’ve been serving the Sacramento region and Northern California for over 50 years.

The Eskaton Difference starts with our life-enriching programs and collaborative partnerships. With a national reputation for innovation, we focus on creating communities that provide our residents everything they need for purposeful living.

We invite you to visit one of our award-winning communities to discover some of the benefits we offer, such as:

• Private residences
• Delicious and nutritious meals
• Social opportunities to meet and make new friends
• Creative activities and therapies
• Fitness centers and exercise classes
• Housekeeping services
• Transportation services
• 24-hour staffing
• Pet-friendly
• Free Wi-Fi
• And much, much more!

If you’re considering whether senior living could be the best choice for you or a loved one, we’re here to answer any questions that you may have. We also invite you to download our complimentary information, Just the Facts: Your Guide to Assisted Living. To schedule a personalized tour, call us at 1-866-ESKATON (1-866-375-2866) or visit eskaton.org.