Assisted living is a great senior housing option for seniors who need personalized support. In an assisted living community, seniors can receive help with maintaining personal hygiene, taking medications, getting dressed, and managing other daily activities that have become difficult for them.
In the United States, around 1.4% of seniors live in assisted living communities. For seniors who live west of Charlotte in Shelby, NC, assisted living for the elderly can be a good option if they need a safe environment and require extra daily assistance.
What Is Assisted Living for the Elderly?
Assisted living is a type of living option for seniors and older adults that provides extra care and support to those who need it. As opposed to aging in place, living in anassisted living senior apartment helps improve the quality of life of seniors who have difficulty handling daily tasks on their own.
In assisted living, seniors get a variety of supportive services that can help them handle everyday tasks. At a senior assisted living community such as TerraBella Shelby, seniors can rely on a variety of services that meet their needs. Among other things, assistance includes:
- Managing personal hygiene
- Getting dressed
- Taking medications
- Doing housekeeping and laundry
- Preparing meals
- Glucose and insulin management
In addition to these types of services, senior residents can enjoy a variety of different amenities as well as recreational and social activities. These activities can give seniors an opportunity to socialize and learn new things while improving their intellectual and mental health. A few amenities and activities seniors can enjoy at TerraBella Shelby include:
- Restaurant-style dining
- Professional beauty salon
- Live entertainment
- Arts and crafts studio
- Jacuzzi spa
- In-house religious services
- Senior wellness resources and classes
At What Age Do Most Seniors Go Into Assisted Living?
Every senior is different, and each person’s needs can vary significantly. Generally speaking, many seniors who require assisted living will make the move in their late 70s or early 80s. The majority of seniors in assisted living are in their 80s, but there are many in other age groups as well.
Despite this, some seniors will move into an assisted living community in their 60s, while some will make the move much later. It’s important to take an individual’s specific needs into account, regardless of their age, when deciding whether an assisted living community is right for a senior or not.
How Can You Tell When an Elderly Person Is Declining?
A senior who is declining may begin to exhibit a variety of different signs. Seniors may demonstrate physical decline, but they may also show changes in cognitive and mental faculties.
Decreased mobility is one of the clearest signs that a senior may be declining and is in need of an assisted living community. Failing to complete daily tasks and errands is also a clear sign of decline.
A senior may begin to have trouble showering, cooking meals, or getting around easily. They may also begin to suffer from poor coordination, and slips and falls may start to become common. You’ll also want to take notice if there are any signs of memory loss or confusion, as these are clear signs of decline as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Meals Included at Assisted Living Communities?
In many assisted living communities, meals will be included as part of an all-inclusive senior living package. Seniors who get elder care in Shelby, NC, will get access to delicious, chef-prepared meals as well as snacks on a daily basis and will be able to dine in a stress-free, maintenance-free environment.
Without leaving home, seniors can get access to quality, gourmet meals that allow them to indulge and get all the nutrition they need to stay as healthy as possible. Eating right can help a senior feel better and live longer, and a senior community can help ensure seniors are eating their very best from day to day.
How Long Does It Take for the Elderly to Adjust to Assisted Living?
Individuals vary in their ability to adjust to new living arrangements. While some seniors will have a very easy time making the transition and could get used to an assisted living community in only a few weeks, others will take significantly longer.
Generally speaking, many seniors will take between three and six months to fully adjust to a senior living community after they make the move.
Many things can help make a senior’s transition to assisted living go more smoothly. A senior with a positive attitude and plenty of family support will likely be able to get used to senior assisted living more quickly than other seniors will.
How Long Is the Average Stay in Assisted Living?
The median length of stay in an assisted living community is around 22 months, but this can vary greatly from senior to senior.
While some seniors will pass away after living in an assisted living community for a length of time, many other seniors will make a transition to a skilled nursing center instead to get extensive medical care. Other seniors may end up moving to a different community or to live with a family member after their time in an assisted living community.
The amount of family support a senior has and the progression of their medical needs will both play a role in how long their stay in an assisted living community will be.
Making the Move to Assisted Living in Shelby, NC
If you’re looking for assisted living for the elderly, be sure that you know what to expect. A senior assisted living community can provide seniors with help in maintaining personal hygiene, taking medications, getting dressed, and managing other difficult daily activities.
If you’re looking for assisted living or memory care in North Carolina, TerraBella Shelby is a great option. With the best services, amenities, and staff, as well as a pet-friendly environment, you’ll be happy with your choice.
Want to learn more about assisted living? Get in touch with us now to take a tour and learn more about what TerraBella Shelby has to offer seniors in North Carolina.
