Retirement and Care Facilities – What are your options?

When we are growing old, our needs and requirements change. We often find that the things we could easily do are difficult. We find ourselves asking for help for even the simplest tasks. Sometimes, our housing situation cannot provide the support we need. As we grow older, we start thinking about leaving our homes and moving into a retirement community.

There are multiple reasons behind this decision – we may need more assistance for daily tasks, we may need a safer house, with better infrastructure and a better community, or we may need to live in an active society with other like-minded seniors. However, making the final decision is difficult for many seniors. Moving out of their homes is tough for anyone, especially if you lived there for decades. Moving into a retirement community can be stressful for many seniors.

Luckily, there are many Pennsylvania retirement communities to choose from. Depending on your needs and requirements, retirement homes in Pennsylvania provide various types of services. Some are aimed at active seniors, others are designed for seniors who want to relax, while others are ideal for seniors who need medical care and home health services. This article will show some of the best options for seniors looking for a retirement community.

Independent living communities

These retirement communities are ideal for active, healthy seniors who do not need special care or assistance. They are essentially guarded or semi-delimited neighborhoods that are designed for senior residents. These communities provide the perfect environment for seniors who want to live independently but want to feel secure and safe inside the neighborhood. Depending on the type of services provided, these communities can be divided into various subtypes, such as:

• age-restricted communities – many Pennsylvania retirement communities have an age limit; usually, the age limit hovers around 50 to 65, depending on the community; if a couple wants to move into the community, at least one partner has to be that age or older;

• lifestyle retirement communities – these communities are aimed at like-minded seniors, who want to live in a community where residents share the same views or interests; for instance, there are faith-based communities, LGBT communities, singles only communities, university and college communities (for alumni from the same college or university), boating communities, RV-only parks and so on;

• active adult communities – these communities provide an active lifestyle and include programs organized by the community, such as trips, sports, shows, and various games;

• senior living apartments – this is an inexpensive alternative, but it does provide common amenities, like fitness areas, swimming pools, community dining rooms, and game rooms;

Assisted living communities

These communities are very different from independent living communities. They are aimed at seniors who are not able to live completely independently anymore and need some type of assistance. If they are provided with this support in retirement homes in Pennsylvania, seniors can still live almost independently.

The type of assistance is very varied and depends a lot on each case. Usually, the assistance is basic and includes dressing, meal service, and personal care. Depending on the facility, additional services are also provided. These services may be provided free of charge or as an added cost, depending on the plan you buy.

The standard amenities for retirement homes in Pennsylvania always include laundry, housekeeping, medication management, social and physical activities. Common dining, transportation, and 24/7 emergency services are also provided. The type of accommodation is varied. However, many facilities consist of 25 to 120 units, ranging from single rooms to shared apartments or full apartments. Units can be either rented or bought, depending on the community. In addition to conventional assisted living facilities, there are other types of similar facilities:

• residential home care – these are basic private communities consisting of home-like settings; only about ten seniors live together in a facility; they receive assistance and care while staying there; because of the small number of residents, the service is more personal than in conventional assisted living facilities; usually, these facilities provide the same amenities as conventional assisted living facilities, but at a smaller scale; the fees, however, are higher because the service is specialized and personal; other types of services can be purchased for an extra fee;

• memory care facilities – these are highly specialized facilities designed to care for residents with cognitive impairment; these patients, often suffering from dementia, have special needs and require constant assistance; they are rarely independent and need constant supervision from qualified staff; the facilities for dementia patients are designed to help residents – for instance, buildings are equipped with color-coded elements and are laid out in a circular setting; this simple, structured environment helps dementia patients by reducing stress and anxiety; memory care facilities are also minimalistic, have a functional design and equipment in order to reduce stressful factors; these facilities have trained staff that are directly involved with providing mental health services and care to residents;

• continuous care retirement communities – these communities provide different levels of care, depending on the individual abilities or requirements of the inhabitant; the level of care ranges from 24/7 care service to independent living, depending on each case; seniors will receive care depending on what they need when they need it; the services are flexible, making these communities quite popular; the fees will depend on the type of service the senior needs at any given moment;

Nursing homes

Nursing homes provide the highest level of care among Pennsylvania retirement communities. They are designed for seniors who are highly dependent on external help and cannot take care of themselves at all. Nursing homes are staffed by qualified medical personnel who take care of the residents. The care is usually 24/7 and covers all services, especially medical care. Full care is provided to residents, such as meal service, dressing, personal care, physical activities, social activities, and special treatment for bedridden persons. Residents are accommodated in either single or shared rooms. Nursing homes also provide short-term care for individuals who are recovering from a medical procedure or from an accident.