A quarter of Indiana's population is of retirement age - that's nearly 500,000 people.
If you have a loved one in their senior years who is exhibiting serious signs of aging, it's time to start thinking about senior care. It can be a tricky decision to choose senior living, but the benefits far outweigh the cons, both for your loved one and your family at large.
The important thing is to find a community you can trust to handle your loved one's unique needs. In today's post, we'll tell you how to find a senior living community in New Castle. There are many options available, but not all of them offer the same services or are of the same quality.
Keep reading and we'll tell you what factors you need to prioritize and what sets our community apart from the competition.
Before you can truly begin your search, you need to determine what kind of care your loved one needs. There are a few different umbrellas their care may fall under, so it's important to understand what each provides.
Retirement homes, or independent senior care, are best for healthy seniors who want to enjoy a lower-maintenance lifestyle. These communities may be best described as a kind of dormitory for older adults.
Your loved one will spend their days lounging and doing various activities with their fellow residents. It's a leisurely life where they don't have to worry about looking after a home or running errands.
Assisted living is a bit more intensive and is suited for seniors who are exhibiting age-related health problems. They might have trouble getting dressed or need help taking medication. The community has staff available 24/7 to help with anything residents need.
Memory care is usually available through assisted living communities. It's a specialized form of assisted living to help those suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia - conditions that affect seven million Americans - navigate their complex and evolving symptoms.
Choosing the right type of community will ensure your loved one gets the most out of senior care. Once you've chosen the right type of community, it's time to start seeing what options are out there.
Here, we'll discuss the criteria that you should seek in a senior care community and what makes ours so beneficial.
Transitioning into senior care is never easy. Your loved one is leaving their old life behind, which can make them feel like a fish out of water. You can ease this transition by choosing a nearby community.
When the community is close to home, your loved one will be in familiar surroundings. It also makes it much easier for family and friends to come and visit, which is essential for getting settled in the first few months.
Sifting through the senior living options can be tricky. The best thing to do to get a sense of which communities are the most reputable is to look at reviews. No one can tell you more about daily life in a community than the loved ones of current and former residents.
If there are any red flags about resident treatment or safety in the community, you'll find out in the reviews. Choose a few of the most reputable communities and schedule tours.
When taking assisted living tours, always ask about staff qualifications. How qualified the staff are is more pertinent with assisted living and memory care because they're around residents all day, every day.
In assisted living, staff have to help residents bathe, get dressed, and take medications. They also perform housekeeping duties and some minor healthcare duties. Memory care, especially, requires a certain expertise to help residents navigate their unique symptoms.
Look for a community that offers some on-site healthcare. At Addison Place, we have a nurse available 24/7 to keep an eye on patients' health and perform medical assistance as needed. The nurse is also responsible for coordinating the customized care plans for every resident.
The thing that often tips the scale when choosing between communities is the amenities. Each community offers residents a unique set of amenities, whether it's a garden and walking paths or fitness and entertainment centers.
At the end of the day, your loved one needs to be happy in their community. They're more likely to lean towards a community that offers amenities that they're interested in, so make a point to look at everything on offer when touring different communities.
Health and wellness is so important for older adults. In addition to exciting amenities, an assisted living community must have a daily activity calendar that prioritizes fun, but also physical, emotional, and cognitive health.
Seniors need around 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity to avoid injuries and illnesses. They also need to socialize to avoid feelings of isolation that lead to depression and anxiety. To stay sharp, they need to continue to engage their brains in different and interesting ways.
When you look at our activity calendar, you'll find plenty of activities that keep residents active. It could be a walking club one day and Tai Chi the next. There are also various social clubs and games nights to help residents socialize and keep their minds sharp.
Your loved one's health also depends on their diet. As people get older, it's harder and harder to have the motivation to cook healthy meals.
In our assisted living community, that's never a concern. We've got delicious and nutritious in-house dining that prioritizes the dietary needs and restrictions of all residents. When you choose Addison Place, you know your loved one is going to eat well.
Indiana is home to plenty of assisted living options, but none give residents the mix of leisure and comfort that Addison Place Assisted Living does. As the top senior living community in New Castle, we've helped countless seniors enjoy a more fruitful and relaxing retirement.
To book your tour of our New Castle community, don't hesitate to contact us today.