A Fresh Chapter: How Senior Living Fosters Independence

For many, the idea of moving into a senior living community can be a difficult one with which to reckon. If you have broached the subject with your aging loved one, you may have been met with resistance or even resentment. Conversely, if your adult children proposed a senior living option like assisted living for you, you likely experienced similar feelings. This is completely understandable. A major life transition like this can create feelings of loss, or a notion that someone needs to “give up” their lifestyle or independence.

In reality, however, the right senior living community offers more autonomy in retirement, not less. This may seem counterintuitive, but many senior living residents are getting more out of their retirement years after their move than they were before. Below are just a few of the reasons why.

Liberation from Home Maintenance From repairs to yardwork and cleaning, keeping up with home maintenance requires a great deal of effort. This is true at any age, but it becomes more of a challenge with advancing age. The aging process entails a natural loss of muscle mass, a phenomenon known as sarcopenia. According to Harvard Health, “After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% \[of your muscle mass\] per decade.” This makes tasks like raking, scrubbing, hammering or any similar activity all the more challenging. In a senior living community, residents are freed of this burden. Instead, they have more time and energy to devote to the things that make them happy.

Better Access to Life’s Necessities When someone lives on their own, acquiring necessities like food or medication can be a time-consuming activity. It eats away at the free time they have earned from a life of hard work. Not only that, but the mobility-related changes associated with aging can make it downright difficult. A retired person deserves to have everything they need without burdensome errands or logistical coordination with family members. In a retirement home, everything they need is at their fingertips. Not only does this free up time for hobbies, socializing and relaxation, but it also provides peace of mind.

Abundant Amenities Many do not realize how many luxuries, amenities and recreational opportunities are available in the modern senior living community. While some certainly offer more than others, people are often surprised to find how much today’s communities have to offer and how affordable they are. The right senior living provider has its residents’ experiences at heart. This is most often true of faith-based communities who strive to honor their elders and elevate them in this chapter of their lives. As a result, they offer abundant opportunities to enjoy life, amenities like gyms, art studios, walking trails, transportation to local attractions and more.

If you would like to learn more about a faith-based senior living solution like this serving Seattle and surrounding areas with independent living, assisted living, memory care and more, call CRISTA Senior Living today at (206) 546-7565 contact us online.