<!–[CDATA[Health care professionals who work with seniors have long suspected loneliness plays a role in aging. Recent research shows they were right. Isolation has been identified as a serious health risk for our seniors. It contributes to a variety of health problems ranging from diabetes to high blood pressure, cardiac disease, depression and obesity.
Seniors who make a move to an independent living or assisted living community have greater opportunities for staying mentally, emotionally and physically connected as they age compared to adults who choose to stay in their private home.
The 6 Benefits of Senior Living
A few of the many benefits adults enjoy when they move to a senior living community include:
1. Good Nutrition
Planning menus and grocery shopping can become more of a burden with age. Senior living communities have in-house chefs who prepare healthy, nutritious meals three times a day.
Related: Learn more about Five Star’s Signature Dining
Residents also have the advantage of having friends to dine with. It helps make mealtime a social event to look forward to each day.
2. Companionship
Being surrounded by like-minded older adults to share the events of the day can have a tremendous impact on senior’s mental and emotional well-being. The informal conversations and gatherings that happen every day give senior living residents an opportunity to build their circle of friends and feel less alone.
3. Life Enrichment Programs
Activities that take place in senior living communities all day every day are designed to engage the body, mind and spirit.
For instance, Five Star Senior Living’s Lifestyle360 helps our residents live healthier, engaged lives. They have the opportunity to participate in activities that range from book clubs to billiards to arts and crafts.
4. Wellness Opportunities
As we learn more and more about how to age successfully, wellness programs continue to be an important piece of what attracts older adults to senior housing communities. Today’s wellness programs are much more comprehensive than the blood pressure clinics of the past. Residents now have the opportunity to participate in Chair Yoga, attend a strength training class or talk with a wellness professional about living their best life.
5. Safer Facilities
Older adults who move to a senior living community are often coming from older homes. They frequently trade this outdated environment for one built with the safety of seniors in mind.
A few of the common features include:
- Handrails in hallways
- Good lighting Grab bars in bathrooms No-step showers Emergency call systems
6. Lower Stress
Ask any senior who lives alone in an older home, and they will tell you it can be stressful. Even if they hire someone to help with housekeeping and maintenance, keeping everything coordinated is a lot of work. Giving up these responsibilities and moving to a senior living community can help decrease an older adult’s stress and improve their quality of life.
Take a Tour of a Five Star Community
The benefits of moving to a senior living community above are incredibly important, and we hope you take them to heart. But we also encourage you to explore a community for yourself. Find a Five Star Senior Living community near you and schedule a tour today. We can’t wait to meet you and discuss your loved one’s needs.
