Many older adults opt to move into senior living arrangements after retirement. These retirement homes offer various forms of care and support that guarantee older folks a healthy and pleasurable post-retirement life.
There are four primary living arrangements for seniors in Ontario, including independent living, independent supportive living, assisted living, and memory care. These options provide unique care services to satisfy the individual needs of every older adult.
That being said, deciding on the appropriate retirement home care option for your older loved ones can be tricky and challenging. So, you have to be meticulous when choosing. Before settling on a living arrangement, you should understand what each home option offers to know how it fits the needs of your older relatives.
Seasons Retirement has some of the best retirement homes in Ontario. They provide adequate care and quality support to ensure that their residents live healthy, fun-filled, and enjoyable lives after retirement. Also, they offer each of the four home options mentioned in this piece.
This article gives an overview of the different types of living options for older adults in Ontario and the care services each offers. These seniors home options include:
Table of Contents
1. Independent Living (IL)
It is only a myth and misconception that retirement homes are meant for older adults who are sick and unable to carry out their activities of daily living without assistance. In reality, many healthy adults voluntarily choose to join senior care homes and enjoy the company of other older adults.
These individuals live in private apartments in older adults’ communities. They carry out their daily activities, plan their recreational events and trips, and get the opportunity to socialize with other residents.
That said, these retirement home residents may be provided with assistance in certain areas, such as food, housekeeping, and healthcare. In other aspects of their daily lives, they only receive help on an “as requested” basis.
This type of senior living arrangement is referred to as Independent Living.
2. Independent Supportive Living (ISL)
This care category is for seniors who are physically active but want to take advantage of some of the great benefits of living in a retirement home, such as the opportunity to mingle with other elders and easy access to medical care.
Under the independent supportive living option, your loved ones will receive help with some daily chores. Basically, residents are provided with a wide range of care services, including:
a. Housekeeping
The retirement home hires help to assist residents with their routine housekeeping chores. The housekeeping services can be scheduled weekly or daily, depending on the policies of the retirement community.
b. Daily meals
Older adults can also rely on the retirement home to provide regular, healthy meals. Note that the number of meals served each day and the times they are dished out differ from one retirement community to the next.
While some retirement homes allow residents to decide when to have their meals, others may be less flexible with their mealtimes.
c. Medication assistance
If required, community staff also support residents by promptly reminding them to take their medication.
d. Emergency Services
These elderly care homes train their staff to handle emergencies adequately, and the workers are always on hand to attend to residents who may need emergency care.
3. Assisted Living
Assisted living is designed for older folks – without specialized medical needs – who require help with some of their activities of daily living while maintaining their independence. These senior living homes provide personal and medical support to older adults without limiting their freedom.
For this reason, most assisted living residences take the form of private apartments or houses, where residents are allowed to personalize their space with decorations to suit their tastes.
The care services provided are quite similar to those offered in the Independent Supportive Living (ISL) option – this means that residents enjoy the services of round-the-clock staff, help with their medication, and regular housekeeping – to name a few.
Furthermore, assisted living homes are mostly wheelchair-accessible with broad doorways and walkways to ensure residents’ maximum safety. Meanwhile, medical alert systems and other safety devices are installed in the residences to notify the appropriate authorities in case of an emergency.
4. Memory Care
This seniors home option provides extensive care and support to older persons who may find it challenging to independently carry out their daily activities.
In a memory care home, trained service team providers offer specialized medical assistance to older folks dealing with memory issues such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in a safe and secure atmosphere.
The community staff is often trained to effectively communicate with memory care residents while ensuring that every individual’s needs are met.
Finally, older folks dealing with memory issues can participate in their hobbies and other interesting activities in the warm and welcoming environment that memory care homes provide. These communities organize memory-enhancing activities, programs, and therapies to enhance the quality of life of their residents.
Retirement Living at Home
Moving to a retirement community is a significant transition, and it can be overwhelming for older adults. As a result, some individuals prefer to enjoy their retirement alone in their homes or stay with friends or family members.
If your loved one chooses to spend their retirement at home, it may be necessary to make certain modifications to their living space to make their life easier and guarantee their safety.
For instance, installing handrails on all stairways and slip-proof floors in your older one’s home is advisable. Additionally, a medical alert system could also help get assistance for your older relatives if the need arises.
There are several disadvantages to staying at home rather than moving to a retirement community. Seniors who live alone miss out on the expert care, support, and socialization possibilities available at retirement communities.
Conclusion
With four different home care options to select from – when your parents and grandparents consider moving to a retirement community like Seasons Retirement in Canada – it is imperative to evaluate your loved one’s needs before making a decision.
Fortunately, the above details about the different seniors home options in Ontario should help guide you and your older relatives in making a suitable living choice.