At some point or another, most adult caregivers go through a similar set of emotions and thought processes. Can I handle caring for my aging loved one? Am I devoting enough time to their care? Do they need more care than I can give? Would they be mad if I suggested assisted living?
While all of these questions are fair, they are sometimes very hard to answer. Open and honest discussions about senior living are the best way to gauge what your loved one actually wants and how much help they truly need.
But before you have these conversations with your aging loved one, it can be helpful to do your own research. There are a variety of educational websites, local resources and senior living research you can turn to for support in the decision-making process.
Assisted Senior Living Research
At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do as a senior caregiver is to do your own research. A recent study came out by Aeroflow Urology that gave some valuable insight into the preferences of older adults, aged 60 or over. The online study surveyed 1003 randomly selected people from across the United States. The findings were pretty strong when it came to assisted living preferences for seniors.
According to the survey, almost two-thirds (64%) of seniors surveyed would rather live in an assisted living community than being cared for by adult children when day-to-day needs grew greater than what they could handle independently.
The survey also found that of the 1003 participants, nearly 80% were open to moving to an assisted living community in general. Almost 96% of poll participants did not have their children taking on a caregiver role currently, and 46% were concerned about becoming a future burden to their family members.
So, what is the takeaway?
Finding Quality of Life in Senior Living
Assisted living is designed to offer seniors the right level of care paired with the right level of independence. By not having to rely on a family member for support with tasks associated with daily living, seniors can maintain some sense of independence while never feeling like a burden on anyone.
This sense of freedom can give seniors a better quality of life. Assisted living communities take care of all the details associated with daily living, so that residents can focus their energy on taking up new hobbies, engaging in social activities, or participating in a variety of services and events.
So, while you may be concerned about taking on the role of a caregiver for your aging loved one, they may actually be feeling the same way. Just a little research and a straightforward conversation can go a long way in helping you come up with the best course of action as your loved one ages.
Assisted Living the Peregrine Senior Living Way
When it comes to maintaining as much independence as possible, but getting the support needed for daily tasks, choose Peregrine Senior Living. We go beyond support with daily living, transportation, and medication management. We focus our attention on helping residents find personal growth at any stage of retirement. We encourage you to see the Peregrine difference for yourself. Schedule a tour of our communities. Contact us today.
