According to the United States Census Bureau, of the nearly 5.9 million people who call Wisconsin home, almost a fifth are adults 65 or older (19.2%).
If you have a loved one who's also getting on in years, you may have wondered if it would be in their best interest to transition to assisted living. If they often need help with one or more daily activities, then yes. They are more likely to fare better in a quality senior care community than at home, especially if they live alone.
In this guide, the team at LakeHouse Cedarburg in Cedarburg, WI, will explore the most crucial facts about assisted living communities and the senior personal care assistance they provide.
Senior care encompasses personal care and supportive services for older adults who need help with activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs are the essential skills a person needs to live independently, such as:
Older adults who need help with ADLs can rely on the senior personal care services provided by reputable assisted living communities, such as LakeHouse Cedarburg in Cedarburg, WI.
Quality personal care in assisted living communities can help improve the quality of life for seniors by:
When older adults can get the personal care assistance they need when they need it, they're less likely to find themselves in situations that can endanger their health and safety.
An example is going to the bathroom or taking a bath and shower. According to HelpGuide.org, bathrooms are the most common location for falls among older adults. Falls in bathrooms are also the most likely to result in injuries compared to any other room in a home.
Senior care services provided by an assisted living community's personal care staff can help mitigate such safety risks.
Depending on a resident's specific personal care needs, staff may help them safely get to and from the bathroom, assist them in bathing/showering, or both. Either way, they'll be there to provide assistance and minimize the odds of residents experiencing falls.
According to the U.S. CDC, adverse drug events (ADEs) result in 1.5 million emergency visits yearly. ADEs are incidents wherein medicines do more harm than good. They can happen to anyone, but older adults are especially at risk because they're more likely to be on medications (and take more medicines) than younger people.
ADEs can occur due to medication errors, particularly those committed by people who self-administer medicines. In seniors, these mistakes can stem from:
Quality senior care services in assisted living communities aim to reduce ADEs through proper medication safety and management. For example, at LakeHouse Cedarburg, our experienced personal care staff reminds our residents to take their medicines on time and ensures they take the correct ones.
Since personal care assistance enhances senior safety, it can also help older adults avoid injuries and health conditions that can diminish their independence.
For example, by avoiding injury-causing falls, seniors can stay on their feet longer and enjoy better ranges of motion. By steering clear of medication errors, they can avert ADEs that may result in hospitalization, downtime, and decreased mobility.
First, determine your older loved one's level of senior care needs. Do they only need help with one or two ADLs, or do they need comprehensive assistance? It's also a good idea to create a list of their specific care requirements, which you can use as a guide when selecting a community.
Once you have a list, it's time to do more digging.
Ideally, you'd want your loved one to join a senior living community that's easily accessible and conveniently located near you. Since you want to be able to visit your loved one anytime, the community's location is integral to your decision.
You should also consider the community's proximity to essential services, such as police and fire departments. Your loved one will also likely appreciate being in a community close to shopping and dining establishments and green spaces.
Once you have two or three prospects, visit each community and give it an extensive tour. Speak with the personal care staff and ask if they can provide the level of care and specific personal care assistance services your loved one requires. Don't forget to ask if a full-time registered nurse is available 24/7.
Pay close attention to the behaviors and demeanor of the current residents, too. Do they look happy, satisfied, and content? Approach them in a friendly manner and ask them if and why they love living in that community.
Observe the community's surroundings, buildings, and amenities. Are they clean and tidy, and do they look well-maintained? They should be in the same condition, if not better, as depicted in the community's photo gallery.
Lastly, ask if you can see the floor plans and interiors of the community's apartment homes. Remember, your loved one may live in one of these homes soon, so you want to ensure they're comfy, habitable, and designed with seniors in mind.
By ensuring your loved one receives quality senior care from a reliable assisted living community, you can help them enjoy a better quality of life and stay safe, healthy, and independent.
If you or your older loved one is ready to transition to a high-quality assisted living community, LakeHouse Cedarburg in Cedarburg, WI, eagerly awaits you.
Contact us today to schedule your visit and tour of our beautiful, pet-friendly senior living community. We look forward to showing you around to help you discover why many other families in the area have chosen us to care for their beloved older loved ones.