For many people, being able to live in your own home as you age is the goal. However, for a wide variety of reasons, this may not always be the best choice for your current situation. Here’s why you might want to reconsider your opinion and make aged care your option of choice.
Social connections and alleviating loneliness
Loneliness is often a big problem as we age, and can lead to poor health outcomes and mental health issues in older people. Remaining socially active brings a wide range of physical, mental and emotional benefits to those in their senior years, such as a stronger immune system, better mental health, a lower risk of dementia and even a longer life.
For many people though, living in their own home as they age does not allow them many opportunities to be socially active, especially if they are dealing with health or mobility issues. Many older people start to feel increasingly isolated and lonely living in their homes. This is where aged care facilities can add immense value to the lives of older people, as they come with a built-in community where you’re surrounded by people of a similar age to live and socialise with. You can access community whenever you need it, plus, you’re free to retreat to your own space if you need some time to yourself.
Seniors can extend their life by staying connected – find out more here.
Safety and security
Older people living alone in their own homes can often feel a little vulnerable and unsafe, particularly at night-time. An aged care facility removes the vulnerability that seniors often feel by offering community living that makes them feel safer and more secure. Older people can experience the benefits of being surrounded by other people, giving them much greater peace of mind; plus, aged care facilities offer safety and security features that help their residents feel comfortably safe.
And it’s not just safety from outside forces that an aged care community can provide – it’s also safety from falls, medical issues, accidents, or emergencies. If you are unfortunate enough for something like this to happen, help is never far away. All it takes is the press of your call bell and help and support is on its way to you.
The help you need
It’s all too easy to be overwhelmed by household chores and maintenance when you live in your own home. There are seemingly endless household and garden tasks that need doing – and they can become increasingly difficult for many people as they get older, and experience declines in strength and mobility.
One of the many great things about life in an aged care facility is that these household chores become a thing of the past. You’ll no longer be burdened by bothersome tasks that you’d really rather not do, as they will all be done for you. And not only will your body benefit from relinquishing difficult chores, it will also free up your time to spend it as you wish.
Activities and entertainment
Speaking of spending time as you wish, there are plenty of opportunities to do so in aged care facilities. Most offer a wide range of activities and entertainment for residents to participate in, with the added bonus of not having to travel to get there. You may still be able to participate in your favourite hobbies, or you might learn to appreciate something new!
Having an activity and entertainment schedule helps alleviate the boredom, loneliness and lethargy often experienced by people living alone in their own homes.
Healthcare
As well, many aged care facilities offer on-site or easily accessible allied health and health care services, such as nursing care, podiatry, hairdressing, massage, physiotherapy or medical care. This makes it much easier for residents to access this care than when they are living in their own homes and have to make their own way to appointments. It’s much quicker and easier to access healthcare facilities in aged care – plus, you’ll be able to have help doing so if you need it.
And these are just a few of the benefits of aged care – there are plenty more! Click here to read more about how aged care facilities can improve the quality of life for older Australians.
