Based on figures from a U.S. Census Bureau report, the number of senior Americans aged 65 years old and above will increase from 48 million to 88 million by the year 2050. This means that more and more senior Americans will be looking for retirement or nursing homes in the coming years.
But when is it time to look for a new home for your aging loved one? If you are currently looking for a nursing home or an independent living facility in Salt Lake City like Legacy Retirement, here are some of the questions you might need to ask.
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Does your loved one require professional medicine help?
You need to face the facts. There are simply things that family and friends cannot provide. These include professional medicine assistance and 24-hour monitoring. While there are options for on-call nurses and other medical professionals, monitoring health stats is not possible without a 24-hour, dedicated personnel.
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Is your loved one always left alone in the house?
Apart from safety hazards, aging adults who are often left alone in the house suffer from emotional issues. In one study, researchers in the UK found that one-third of the entire population of male pensioners who have long-term health problems are lonely. That’s about 550,000 male seniors who are suffering from loneliness, and the numbers are expected to increase to two-thirds of the senior male population by the year 2030. Living in a retirement home help seniors socialize with other older adults and form new friendships, even romantic relationships.
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Does your loved one need regular exercise?
For many older adults, it is often hard to regularly exercise when there’s no one to accompany them. Retirement homes offer regular exercise programs such as yoga, meditation, and even light weightlifting to help move the muscles and strengthen the body. In one study, UCLA neuroscientists found that meditation and yoga can contribute to reducing the cognitive and emotional issues that precede Alzheimer's disease. In other words, these two exercises can help seniors who have memory problems.
Improving The Golden Years
Living in a retirement home can help your aging parents or loved ones enjoy the best of their gold years. If you’re trying to decide whether a retirement or nursing home is a good option, consider these questions to help you arrive at an informed decision.