Benefits of Assisted Living Facilities for Seniors

The idea of assisted living is something thatmight be a little bit frightening for elderly adults and the children that aretaking care of them. However, for many seniors, an assisted living facility isactually one of the most beneficial and nurturing environments out there.That’s because assisted living facilities are designedwith senior’s health and happiness in mind. Giving up thehome a senior has likely lived in is definitely scary, and the idea of asking aparent to move can be as well, but in the long run, there are many reasons whyassisted living is actually healthier for elderly adults.Optimal HealthCare Even if your parent has the best doctors inthe world outside of an assisted living facility, the health care that’sprovided for seniors in quality facilities is better for one reason – it’salways there when your parent needs it.It might be tough to think about, but asparent’s age, health problems tend to creep up. In emergency situations, youwant your parent to be able to receivethe care that they need right away.You also want your parent to be aroundtrained staff members who can spot health problems, allowing your parent to getthe care they need even before something goes wrong.NutritionMany seniors are no longer able to cook forthemselves for physical or safety reasons, which can lead to a lack of healthy,freshly prepared food in their life. Unfortunately, even if you prepare mealsfor your parent on a regular basis, it’s just not possible for most familymembers to prepare three meals per day and healthy snacks for seniors.However, that’s something that assisted livingfacilities can do. Quality facilities alsohave trained professionals on staff that understand the type of nutrition thatseniors need in order to stay healthy and live as active of a lifestylethat they can.In assisted living facilities, seniors alsoget to eat meals with other people their own age. Social interaction duringmeals is something many seniors miss, and that can be harmful. After all,social interaction actually helps aid in the food digestion, and on anemotional level, eating with other people has been something humans have donepretty much since the beginning of time!Friends andCompanionsWhile family members that care for elderlyparents in their homes certainly spend quality time with them, there’s reallyno replacement for friendship and companionship with adults their own age.Adults of the same age share common experiences and values, and simply beingaround people who have lived through the same things and have similarviewpoints makes a huge difference in an elderly adults life.When seniors move into assisted livingfacilities that’s one of the biggest features. Seniors can eat meals, do activities and simply haveconversations with people their own age, many of which will likely become dearfriends and companions in a very short time.The idea of assisted living can befrightening for seniors and their kids, but taking time to explore thepossibilities can show you how truly beneficial it can be. Seniors can livehappier, healthier lives in assisted facilities.If you think assisted living is right foryour parent or parents don’t be afraid to talkabout the idea.Thank you Virginia for your wonderful guest post!Virginia Cunningham is a freelance writer in Southern California. She has experienced having to discuss assisted living with others before, and knows what a great option it is. As a health writer, she contributes to the Presidio Home Care blog.