Why seniors live seven more years in retirement communities
The occurrence of physical and health impairments due to old age makes older adults seek a health care refuge. The traditional health care refuge most older adults prefer are those that do not intrude on their privacy; hence they get their physical and medical care at the comfort of their home.
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However, there has been a sporadic change from this traditional approach due to the incredible advantages offered at independent retirement communities because they guarantee older people a higher quality of life that will make them healthier and live longer than those that receive physical and medical care at the comfort of their home.
Benefits that older people get when they opt for an Independent retirement community over those staying at their home of residence.
Independent retirement community
According to various studies and research, older people that opt for retirement communities settings tend to live for about seven to ten years longer and healthier, unlike when they decide to live in their private home of residence. Independent retirement communities offer a variety of avenues to older people for the harnessing and improvements of their mental and physical health via wellness and exercise programs and socialization, respectively.
Furthermore, independent retirement communities possess all the essential amenities and medical facilities to harness several medical conditions, especially when there is an ad hoc situation that requires immediate attention. These incredible benefits that an independent retirement community provides make older people worry less without a vestige of pessimism in their thoughts.
Disadvantages of At-Home care for older adults
Seniors who move to an independent retirement community are free from stress; on the contrary, older adults are susceptible to physical and health dangers if they choose to receive physical and medical care at the comfort of their home. They may suffer from a fall or ad hoc health issues that require immediate medical attention when none of their relatives is home, which could lead to a deterioration in the physical and medical health of that individual. But it can not occur in an independent retirement community because of the optional safety measures in place. In addition to this, older adults in independent retirement communities are offered daily check programs to forestall the occurrence of ad hoc physical or health dangers without noticing, as seen to be experienced by those who stay at home.
Older adults who stay at home may also be prevented from socializing by the four walls of the home, which may tamper with their mental health due to loneliness and isolation from society. It is natural to have your social circle mitigating due to old age, but it can be increased once more if you opt for an independent retirement community. Because it will offer residents the opportunity of socializing. The retirement community will provide you with the chance to hang out with friends anytime you want because this social aspect offered by retirement communities will improve the overall mental health of older adults.
Hence, one can state the advantages of living in an independent retirement community from the preliminary explanation. The benefits of retirement community living include the following:
– Preparation of nutritional meals
– Availability of easy transportation service
– Enhance socialization
– Ensures safety and security
– Improves physical and mental health of seniors
– Provide a comfortable lifestyle that requires low maintenance
Preparation of nutritional meals: The stress of going to grocery stores to purchase what you wish to eat, cooking, and doing the dishes may be difficult for some older adults. A Retirement community will take away these stressful burdens from their backs by providing them with balanced diets that will provide them with enough nutrients to stay healthy.
Availability of easy transportation service: Studies have shown that older drivers are more susceptible to accidents than middle-aged drivers, primarily due to vision loss, hearing loss, and other medical conditions. Hence, an independent retirement community provides safe and easy transportation to older adults to nearby events, restaurants, and doctor appointments.
Enhance socialization: If you stay at home, your socialization level is limited to your relatives alone; in their absence, and may leave you with nothing to do but remaining lonely. Hence, socialization is one of the most significant factors that make older people opt for a retirement community, to meet several peers from their neighborhood through fun or learning groups or clubs such as book club, travel club, spiritual study club, and coffee meetups.
Ensures safety and security: This involves ad hoc events such as household injuries and falls that one may not be able to call for help if they stay at home with no present relatives. It is extremely dangerous and scary for those with chronic medical conditions, such as kidney disease and Parkinson’s disease. But if you opt for retirement community living, you will be guaranteed safety and security for mild to severe health issues via the support of a nurse or alert system in some cases that require immediate assistance.
Improves physical and mental health:- Wellness and fitness training is essential for the overall health of an older adult’s body and mental health. Studies show that regular exercise will help you forestall and harness health problems such as type two diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and high blood pressure. The retirement community provides older adults with several fitness programs and outdoor activities like yoga classes, group fitness classes, local hikes & greenbelt, and walking clubs.
Furthermore, it will be best for you to seek your doctor’s permission to confirm if you are fit for any of the listed classes to avoid the deterioration of your medical condition. But if you are not fit or have limited mobility, you will have to call on your retirement community for other options you can fit in.
Provide a comfortable lifestyle that requires low maintenance:- The obligation to maintain the structural integrity of the home by keeping it clean comes with staying at home. But If you opt for an independent retirement community living, you will not be worried about your home maintenance because they will do it for you.
These advantages of retirement community living guarantees older adults of a higher quality of life that will make them healthier and live longer than those who stay at home without fear of danger.
