Tina spends a lot of time working with seniors. As the director of the Westfield Council on Aging, Tina helps older adults maximize their independence by providing services and programs that facilitate self-reliance, enhance socialization, and promote all aspects of healthy, valued, and creative aging. Sometimes, the best way to do that is to move into assisted living, Tina says. Her sister-in-law recently transitioned to assisted living at The Arbors at Westfield, and since she’s moved in, she’s become happier and more engaged. “Now when I visit with her, she’s much more talkative,” Tina says. “We’re laughing together again.” Tina works with a lot of seniors and their families who put off the move to assisted living, though. “It isn’t because they can’t afford it,” she says. “They feel like they’re not ready yet. My advice is don’t wait. Do it sooner rather than later, and then enjoy what assisted living has to offer. I’m glad that we recognized that.” There are a lot of reasons why people put off a move to assisted living. Some people have the attitude that they won’t need long-term care. “It won’t happen to me,” they think. Think again. More than 6 million Americans have a high long-term care need, and that figure is expected to rise to 15 million by 2050, according to a report on the state of long-term care insurance by the Center for Insurance Policy and Research. If you or your parents or your family members are in denial that you’ll one day need long-term care, here’s a look at 14 statistics you should know. When families are proactive in creating a long-term plan for their senior loved ones, they set themselves up for success for when the senior requires additional care. Early planning could potentially improve a family caregiver’s social and physical well-being as well as their relationship with their senior loved ones. To read more about Tina and how her caregiving challenges were eliminated after she helped her sister-in-law transition to assisted living at the Arbors, download our eBook “How Moving My Loved One to The Arbors Eliminated My Caregiving Challenges”.