Moving into an aged care facility is a big decision, and one that can be fraught with emotion. All too often, older people are very focused on what they will lose from their lives once they move into an aged care facility and leave their own home behind. They worry about leaving their home, their friends, their interests, their community and their lifestyle behind – and are unsure about what lies ahead.
Well, it’s true that you’ll lose certain things out of your life when you move into aged care – but they may not be what you expect. Here’s exactly what life in an aged care facility will take away from you – and why you’ll probably be glad it did.
Fear
Living in your own home can cause you to feel somewhat vulnerable as you age, especially at night or if you live alone. And if you can’t afford high tech security features to help you feel safe … well, it’s not a comfortable feeling.
But that fear and vulnerability become a thing of the past when you make the move into aged care. You’ll feel safe, comfortable and supported, with plenty of in-built security features on hand. As well, being surrounded by a community of people will also alleviate any fear you may have felt being alone in your own home.
Another common fear you may have is not having anyone around to help you if you should happen to suffer a fall, accident or medical emergency. This fear evaporates in aged care, as you’ll never be far from help, and will have easy access to assistive technology so you get the help you need as quickly as possible.
Boredom
Your circle and involvement in life tends to shrink as you get older, and you can quickly become bored, stale and disconnected from the world around you. It’s all too easy to drift into a life that lacks purpose, meaning or any real interest – and to find time hanging heavily on your hands.
Life in an aged care facility can counter boredom and lack of motivation, by offering a wide range of scheduled activities, trips and entertainment options. Boredom will become a thing of the past, as you can enjoy being physically, socially and mentally active in a huge range of different ways – plus, you can enjoy these activities with companions.
Loneliness
Loneliness amongst older people is unfortunately very prevalent and is almost considered the pandemic of old age. As friends or family members move away or pass on, your circle naturally becomes smaller, and it can be harder and harder to make new friends and connections as you age. You may find yourself gradually feeling more and more sidelined and out of touch with the rest of the world. And this has a pronounced negative impact on our health, causing lower quality of life, lower levels of wellbeing, increased occurrences of depression and even earlier death.
An aged care facility will replace the potential for loneliness with an in-built community of nearby friends and connections to live and socialise with. Community living can be a huge blessing for lonely older people, allowing you to establish meaningful relationships and strong connections to support you when you need them – and to fill your life with contentment and satisfaction.
Seniors can extend their life by staying connected – find out more here.
Household chores and maintenance
Home chores and maintenance are a dull but necessary part of life – but one that gets increasingly difficult as we age. Things we used to do easily can gradually become too difficult – and will eventually be done poorly or neglected completely. There’s also the risk of injury when trying to carry out household tasks that are now beyond us.
When you move into an aged care facility, there’s no more chores and maintenance to consume your free time. It will all be done for you, and you’ll be able to relax and use your free time however you choose. Being able to say goodbye to tedious and time-consuming household tasks is a big bonus of aged care living, and one you’ll no doubt be happy to leave behind!
The commute
Another thing you may not have thought of is the reduction in travel time when you live in an aged care community. There’ll be no more sitting at traffic lights, fighting your way through busy traffic – or investing your life savings in a tank full of petrol! Most of the services you’ll need and activities you’ll do will be provided onsite, with almost everything you need on offer right at your fingertips. And if you need to go offsite, someone else will do the driving – leaving you free to sit back and relax.
So yes, life in an aged care facility will take quite a few things away from you – but you’ll be glad it did! If you’re looking for an aged care facility that offers you all these benefits and more, have a look at Finley Regional Care here.
