The Top 10 Reasons Seniors Choose Assisted Living

When and Why Assisted Living Makes Sense for You or a Loved One

There’s no place like home. It’s comforting to have a familiar space that’s all yours and to live life on your own terms. But what happens when that privacy can lead to isolation and loneliness? Or house and yard work becomes a little too much to handle. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by shopping and cooking for one, or bathing and navigating a space is difficult, even dangerous, it’s time to consider your options.

Assisted Living Communities have became an answer for seniors who place a high value on their quality of life and independence, but who may need help with certain daily activities, personal care or health care.

What is Assisted Living exactly?

According to the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), The philosophy of assisted living is built on the concept of delivering person-centered care—care and services that meet residents’ individual needs and preferences.

The goal of Assisted Living is to maximize and maintain independence for as long as possible and to:

• Accommodate individuals’ changing needs and preferences
• Maximize dignity, autonomy, privacy, independence, choice and safety
• Encourage family and community involvement
• Minimize the need to relocate over time

Traditions communities have taken these needs to heart. Our Core Values focus on promoting dignity, placing an emphasis on important interactions versus necessary duties, encouraging socialization, providing choices and serving others.

How Do You Know You or A Loved One is Ready for Assisted Living?

There’s no one right answer. But generally seniors or their loved ones begin to notice a growing difficulty and frustration with daily tasks and activities that were once routine, even enjoyable.

When difficulties driving, shopping, cooking, keeping track of medications, bathing and grooming become more common, seniors tell us they can begin to feel sad, lonely and even depressed.

Safety can become a real issue as well, especially when you can’t drive and don’t have transportation or you’re not eating nutritious foods and meals regularly. If you can’t get around your home or bathe without worry of falling, that should raise a red flag.

When you visit a Traditions Assisted Living community, our team can help you evaluate your needs and show you how having a bit of support can make you happier and more independent in other areas of your life.

10 Reasons to Choose a Traditions Assisted Living Community

1. You don’t have to sell your home, pack and move on your own.
   The idea of moving is overwhelming. But we’ve worked to simplify the process and work with you and your family to make things easier. Our Move-In Coordinator can help you review a list of what we recommend you bring with you.Once you sort through everything, you can always enlist a professional like our trusted partner, Marketplace Homes, to help you navigate showings, repairs, short or long-term leasing and the sale of your home.
2. You’ll be safe and have a sense of security.
   Traditions communities are filled with kindred spirits. You are part of a community of seniors and a caring team of people.Parking is available right outside our doors and parking lots are well-lit and regularly salted and/or plowed in the winter.
3. You can choose from a variety of floor plans.
   Every Traditions community is designed with comfort in mind. So expect to have your choice of a variety of floor plans and square footage. You may even be able to choose a room that opens into a courtyard, is on ground level or a specific floor in some communities.
4. We have a checklist to help you pack with purpose.
   We’ve given a lot of consideration to what we can do to make you feel welcome, comfortable and at home, including putting together this
   Checklist and list of Packing Pointers.Remind yourself that your goal is not to get rid of things you hold dear, but to simplify your life.
5. Get help with what you need and we’ll leave the rest in your capable hands.
   We are here to help you or your loved one go about life with independence and dignity. We are also here to create your personalized service plan that specifies any ongoing assistance you need, including any and all of the following:
   • Nursing Services
     • Professional caregivers on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week
     • Delivery of all health care services
     • Routine health status monitoring
     • Personalized Service Plan updates
   • Round-the-Clock Support
     • Bathing and showering
     • Dressing assistance
     • Grooming
     • Mobility/transferring
     • Dining assistance
     • Medication support
     • Emergency response pull cords and pendants
     • Routine medication review by a licensed pharmacist
6. You can stay in your home as your needs change. Our Medical Director will do a regular assessment of your needs and you and your family can add or subtract from the things you need assistance with at any time.You won’t need to change where you live to get the support you need.
7. A lot of things come standard with Assisted Living.
   In addition to having personalized support, Assisted Living accommodations include the following:
   • 3 restaurant-style meals per day
   • All utilities
   • Weekly housekeeping services
   • Weekly laundry service for bed linens and towels
   • 24-hour on-site caregiver staff
   • Social, religious, educational, recreational and wellness programs and activities
   • On-site gym with fitness equipment and classes
   • Scheduled transportation to medical appointments
   • Scheduled transportation to group outings and events
8. You will have your own space, as well as the opportunity to be involved and among friends. We welcome introverts and extroverts, and everything in between. Which means once you arrive, our Activities Director will reach out to you to see if you have interest in current events, gatherings and activities, or if you’d like to start something new.Residents will most likely stop by over time to say hi or to see if you need anything, as will our team. There will be an open invitation to Happy Hour, movie nights, holiday events and more.
9. If you thought you would be eating in a cafeteria, wait until you see the restaurant-style dining room, meet the Executive Chef and see the menu. Sharing a home-cooked meal with friends and family is one of the simple pleasures of life. Which is why we offer restaurant-style dining and serve a variety of delicious dishes using only the freshest ingredients.Many of our Executive Chefs have studied and worked all over the world at some of the finest restaurants and resorts and are anxious to add your favorite dishes to the menu.You can even share your thoughts, ideas and recipes at our Food Service Review each month.
10. We are guests in your home. Our staff is trained and certified in everything from the latest medical care and therapies, to healthy and delicious meal preparation, event and activities planning and maintenance. Yet we make room for compassionate connection to take precedence over the necessities of our job descriptions.Traditions will maximize the quality of your life. Like many senior living communities, we have beautiful buildings with ample amenities. But our daily interactions with residents, the small acts of kindness and care, are the foundation of rich relationships and full lives.We also know it’s the little things that can make your day, make you comfortable and make your life easier, more beautiful and happier. We’ve built these amenities and this attention to detail into our daily culture. Some things you can expect:
    • Professionally designed and decorated spaces
    • Outdoor terrace and patio areas
    • Beauty salon
    • Chapel
    • Fitness Center and classes
    • Special birthday and holiday dinners
    • Home-cooked meals
    • Daily Happy Hour
    • Laundry facilities and services available
    • Housekeeping services available
    • Scheduled transportation
    • Scheduled outings and events

If there’s anything we can do for you or a loved one, please let us know how we can help. In the meantime, please feel free to take a Virtual Tour on the Traditions community website of your choice, flip through our Interactive Brochure or Chat with an automated attendant for answers. And of course you can always Schedule an in-person tour of the Traditions community of your choice. Simply click on Schedule a Tour at the bottom of any Traditions community site.