The nursing home is a term rife with misconceptions.
Some people today believe it to be a form of abstract punishment, sending off the elderly in a single file line to a dull, drab place. Others fear nursing homes are poorly staffed medical facilities that isolated their loved ones for an indefinite period of time. When you have a loved one starting to get on in their years, the last thing you need are more misconceptions. Assisted living homes are composed of warm, loving communities filled with the resources needed for our elderly population to live a healthy life. Before you sit down and have an important conversation with your family about the possibility of moving to one…
…let’s keep looking at common falsehoods about nursing homes and get you closer to the facts.
Nursing Homes Are Boring, Lifeless Places
Watch any movie or show and you’ll see this stereotype perpetuated in real time. The common mainstream idea of the assisted living home is a gray and dull place, filled with too many residents who can’t stand their homes and workers that can’t stand their jobs. The fact of the matter is quite different. Nursing homes are communities with steady access to medical resources, first and foremost, and are wonderful places to begin life anew. According to a recent study, many residents living at nursing homes are surprised by how lively and accommodating their new home is.
There Is Hardly Any Assistance At Nursing Homes
Your loved one is not just going to be dumped at their new home and left there. The American Health Care Association found there are at least 15,000 skilled nursing care centers located around the United States. Around 40% of residents living at these residential care facilities received assistance with three or more daily activities. Think bathing, washing, dressing, eating, walking…you name it.
Assisted Living Homes Don’t Help Serious Conditions
This is another misconception that could make it harder for your loved one to get the help they need. Dementia is one of the most debilitating conditions as we know it, with Alzheimer’s leading the pack in the top 10 deadly diseases in the United States. It’s also a cause of death that cannot be prevented, slowed down, or cured. It can, however, be lived with comfortably with the aid of skilled nurses at a nursing home facility. It’s estimated one out of every eight people over the age of 65 in the United States.
There’s Nothing To Do At A Nursing Home
It’s time to think long and hard about the benefits of the nursing home. The average age of retirement in the United States is 65 and it’s estimated there are over five million people living with Alzheimer’s today. The sooner you come to a conclusion, the sooner your loved one can start gaining the benefits that come with assisted living. Not only will a nursing home provide steady access to medical resources, they also provide community resources. From painting to book reading, there’s always something to do at a nursing home.
It’s Impossible To Make A Nursing Home Sound Inviting
As the saying goes…the truth will set you free! Whether it’s a memory care home for dementia or an assisted living facility, this is just the next step on a long and peaceful journey. Over 65% of people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease or some form of dementia as we know it. Many assisted living residents find themselves struggling not just with age, but reduced mobility and mental illness. When you sign up your loved one for an assisted living home you give them the opportunity to spread their wings and truly enjoy a relaxed, supportive lifestyle.
Brush away those misconceptions. Sit down with your loved one and talk to them about the possibility of living at nursing homes in Escondido.