If you’ve been considering senior living for a loved one, but feel like you need a decoder to understand all the options, we can help! While the industry does have a language all its own, it’s certainly not done arbitrarily. It allows us to create a more personalized experience that more closely fits the different wants and needs of seniors. Here’s how.
Types of Senior Living
Many people don’t realize that senior living encompasses different types of lifestyle experiences and care. It’s not one-size-fits-all, which is a tremendous benefit because families consider senior living for a number of reasons; from wanting their loved one to have more opportunities to stay active and social, to concerns over safety at home, to the need for support with daily tasks, to specialized care. As such, the types of senior living generally include:
Independent Living – Residents in this setting don’t typically require daily assistance, which means these communities are more focused on lifestyle. Independent living is an ideal choice for seniors who are seeking more social and enrichment opportunities than they may have at home, as well as freedom from home maintenance, cooking, cleaning and laundry. Communities also often feature amenities like concierge services, a pool, fitness center and transportation.
Assisted Living – These communities offer a similar lifestyle experience to independent living, but the main difference is that residents also have access to onsite care should they need it, as well as assistance with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing. You’ll find a comfortable setting that’s intended to be home-like, and amenities such as restaurant-style dining, housekeeping and transportation, as well as social, fitness and enrichment opportunities.
Memory Care – This type of senior living is designed just for those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Residents benefit from staff specially trained in the challenges of dementia, as well as 24-hour supervision and a comfortable yet secure environment. These communities also feature cognitive and physical therapy, structured activities and social opportunities, as well as amenities such as dining programs, housekeeping and laundry.
Where Does Boutique Senior Living Fit?
Some of the most common hesitations we hear from families as they consider traditional senior living as described above is that often these communities are so large that they feel institutional and unwelcoming. They feel this is such a stark difference from home that the transition would be too hard for their loved one. Boutique senior living offers an alternative: care in a home setting!
We provide residential care in single-family homes specially crafted for assisted living or memory care. Unlike traditional communities with hundreds of residents, our boutique senior living homes have only 10 to 16 residents and a nearly unheard of caregiver to resident ratio of 1 to 5, which means more personalized care and attention from staff that truly knows your loved one.
What’s more, we don’t have to try to feel home-like; your loved one will enjoy the comforts of a real home where everything from the décor, to family-style meals, to the large yard feels familiar and welcoming. The location in a charming, rural neighborhood is probably even similar to where your loved one lives now!
Boutique senior living still offers amenities similar to traditional communities, such as private or semi-private rooms, laundry, housekeeping and transportation, in addition to activity programs that feature daily exercises, socialization, cognitive stimulation and immersive activities, plus group outings and live entertainment.
For peace of mind in your loved one’s safety, our homes also provide fall alert pendants and keypad entry/exit access as well as state-of-the-art video monitoring outside and in common areas. For more information, download our Choosing the Right Community guide. Or, schedule a virtual tour today by calling (224) 333-6247 to speak to a team member.
