Over the last few years, you may have been thinking about moving your loved one to assisted living. And then, the pandemic hit. Everything was in question. So why now is the perfect time to move to assisted living? As the coronavirus pandemic continues more than a year later, we have found our “new normal” in our daily lives. We have been forced to change our practices in so many ways, and the way we do things in assisted living overall. Some of the changes will result in a better experience for our residents. Technology, telehealth appointments, things that may have taken years to become “normal” are now routine.
Assisted Living Safety
One of the biggest questions we are asked is, “Is assisted living safe right now?” The answer is yes, absolutely! Now is the perfect time to move to assisted living. We have more tools at our fingertips than we had earlier in the pandemic. We are working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and local boards of health, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All of our residents and staff who wanted the COVID vaccines have received it and we have weekly employee testing in place. We have implemented strict infection protocols, mask-wearing, and social distancing in all our communities. We have spent the past year perfecting our social distancing protocols when necessary with in-room meal deliveries, a traveling activity cart, scheduled visits with family members, outdoor entertainment, social distancing, and much more. All while still maintaining the community environment we are known for.
Social Isolation Downside
If you are still feeling unsure now is the right time to make a move, I ask that you reflect on what the winter was like for you and your loved one with very little socialization and in-person experiences. Eating out felt risky and not worth the experience. Making sure your loved one was eating three meals a day became a concern. If it wasn’t already. Even visiting family members was tough. Caring for loved ones from a distance is challenging and not always the safest approach. You may have spent a lot of time worrying if they were safe at home alone, or wishing you could do more for them but scared you could expose them to the virus. That’s why now is the perfect time to move to assisted living.
Benefits of Living in a Community
We see how becoming a part of an assisted living community has many advantages, now more than ever before. Even with everything still going on in the world, your loved one will be part of a community. Our residents have the opportunities for socialization, making new friends, and being with others who are going through similar life experiences. There is peace of mind for you that they are in a safe environment with the highest level of precautions in place. They can stay active with daily exercise, different programs, and activities. We have integrated even more health and wellness services for our residents, in hopes most services they need are right in their community. These services include:
- Medication Management,
- Pharmacy Services (prescription refills and delivery), and
- Physicians
And… Specialty Services such as:
- Physical Therapy,
- Occupational Therapy,
- Skilled Nursing Visits,
- Private Homecare options,
- Podiatry,
- Audiology and more.
Having health care and wellness services fully integrated into the assisted living community, allows us to ensure each resident is receiving a personalized care plan, this provides additional reassurance that we have solutions in place, especially during a pandemic.
Now is the Perfect Time to Move to Assisted Living
Assisted living has safer socialization than anywhere else. New communal practices like scheduled dining, small group activities, frequent sanitation, scheduled visits, social distancing, and vaccinations allow seniors to move about with confidence. It may look slightly different than it used to, but we are at least all in it together!