Are you considering the advantages that a senior living community can offer you or an older loved one? Is help with daily tasks needed? Are you looking for support to live an easier – yet meaningful – lifestyle?
If these questions are being asked but there’s uncertainty about which senior living community type would provide the best answer, we can help. Take a moment to consider any senior living needs and wants that might contribute to the highest quality of life possible for you or a loved one.
Senior Living Needs and Wants: 9 Potential Features
While you or a loved one may have different priorities, there are common characteristics that often make the list of senior living needs and wants. Here are 9 of them:
1. A lifestyle that contributes to independence
Maintaining independence is generally a top feature when considering needs and wants in senior living. Individuals want to choose how to spend their day, when and what to eat and whether to participate in a community’s activities.
All senior living community types make supporting independence a priority as they know self-reliance can play a significant role in well-being.
2. A lifestyle filled with the richness of friendships
Loneliness and living alone often go hand-in-hand. Research has also discovered they can result in an increased risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression and cognitive decline.
Independent living, assisted living and memory care communities offer easy access to meaningful activities and interacting with others, paving the way for good physical and mental health.
Each person has inherent value but older adults may begin feeling less relevant with fewer possibilities to connect with others, form new friendships or contribute their time and talents.
3. A lifestyle that recognizes your value
Feeling valued may be on your – or a loved one’s – list of senior living needs and wants. All senior living community types focus on providing their residents with opportunities to engage and thrive.
Download our complimentary information, Family Decision Toolkit: How to Choose the Right Senior Living Community.
4. A lifestyle that supports wellness goals
If your healthy aging needs and wants include meeting wellness goals of healthy dining, exercising and keeping your brain active, they’re easier to achieve in communities.
Studies found that older adults who live in senior living reported being in better health compared to those who remained at home. Participating in social activities also appeared to slow the rate of decline in their quality of life.
5. A lifestyle that contributes to improved mental and cognitive health
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exercising regularly, managing cardiovascular factors and remaining active and engaged with others can help lower the risk for cognitive decline.
Independent living, assisted living and memory care communities offer exercise classes, social events to encourage making friends and a monthly calendar of activities to choose from – all just steps from your door.
6. An easier lifestyle with decreased stress
A common feature on a list of needs and wants in senior living is an easier and less stressful life. Many individuals are ready to give up the responsibilities of home ownership and upkeep.
Senior living communities offer maintenance-free living, as well as housekeeping, dining programs and scheduled transportation to simplify life. Imagine how you’ll spend your new-found free time!
7. A lifestyle that provides increased safety and security
Discovering their home needs extensive repairs or isn’t designed to accommodate mobility challenges is not uncommon for older adults. It can also be unsettling to consider the possibility of living alone and becoming ill or injured.
All senior living communities provide additional security and safety features in both the community and individual residences. It’s also greatly reassuring to know someone is there if help is ever needed.
8. A lifestyle that supports today’s high-tech world
We live in a world greatly influenced by the wonders – and sometimes frustrations – of technology. According to a Pew Center survey in 2021, adoption of key technologies by those 65 and older has grown markedly over the last decade, including the use of social media.
Senior living communities are equipped to provide access to the latest technology, whether it’s providing daily community information or helping residents connect with others.
9. A lifestyle that encourages a return to family roles
Family members who help a loved one with daily tasks such as bathing, preparing meals, or driving to appointments may find there is little time to just enjoy their other relationships.
Assisted living and memory care communities provide care so that spouses, sons and daughters can return to their family roles and relationships once again, which is often a priority for many when considering their senior living needs and wants.
Retirement living in Waukegan, Illinois
Galloway Senior Living, locally owned and operated, provides luxury and quality care for families in our community.
Assisted Living at Galloway Senior Living offers beautiful and contemporary private residences that range from alcove studios to two-bedrooms and include high-end stainless-steel appliances, maple hardwood cabinets, cultured marble countertops and thoughtfully curated décor and colors.
Our Memory Care community offers a family kitchen, dining room, walking garden, and lounge.
Our services include:
- 24-hour certified nursing assistants, on-staff licensed nurses, medication management, and on-site physician visits
- COVID-19 safety protocols
- Assistance with daily tasks
- Readily available safe transportation
- A fall-reduction program
- In-unit emergency response systems including an electronic monitoring system for exit doors
- On-site entertainment and activities personalized to reflect the residents’ preferences
- Housekeeping and linen services including personal laundry
Amenities you’ll find at Galloway Senior Living include:
- Country Café and Convenience Store
- Salon and Spa
- Theater with 85” television
- Activity and Craft Center
- Game Room
- Library and Business Center
- Fitness Center
If you or your family is considering retirement living in Wadsworth, Illinois, we hope you will visit our community at Galloway Senior Living. We are a trusted resource and are here to answer any questions.
We also invite you to download our complimentary information, Family Decision Toolkit: How to Choose the Right Senior Living Community.
