Moving into senior living can be a big decision, especially with the variety of care options available. It’s all about finding a home that lets you live your life the way you want while giving you the support you need.
Two common care options are independent living and assisted living facilities, but what’s the difference? The four main differences between independent and assisted living are:
- Independence: Independent living programs allow seniors more independence in their day-to-day lives than assisted living programs do.
- Level of Care: Independent living programs offer less hands-on care than assisted living programs.
- Medical Care: Assisted living programs typically involve full-time assistance from healthcare staff, but independent living programs may not.
- Activities: Independent living programs often put on more social events to promote community amongst residents. Assisted living programs may use activities to help meet residents’ social and care needs.
What is Independent Living?
So what, exactly, is independent living? Independent living is a type of senior living program. Independent living is popular with people who want amenities and access to a community, but can still live alone with a little bit of help.
In independent living programs, residents typically have their own apartments. These apartments have many amenities, including full kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces.
In independent living, residents will also have access to community spaces. These spaces include community dining, recreation areas, and sometimes fitness areas. Residents often attend social events in these shared areas. Residents can usually use these areas to entertain their friends and family.
The biggest advantage of living in an independent living program is access to a community. Maintaining a healthy social life has been strongly linked to well-being in older adults, and independent living facilities make it easy to stay social!
Independent living programs may also help residents maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle, which are both important ways of staying healthy. This is done by offering healthy group dining options and meal plans for residents, and through group exercise classes.
Sometimes independent programs help residents keep up with tasks such as ordering medications, housekeeping, or booking appointments. By taking advantage of these services, residents can stay on top of their health needs.
So who will benefit the most from independent living? Independent living is best for seniors who are mobile and independent. In independent living, these individuals can enjoy having easy access to a community and amenities while keeping up with their preferred routines and activities.
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living programs offer more day-to-day support for individuals who struggle with one or more activities of daily living. Assisted living programs allow for a higher level of care than independent living programs. Since assisted living is very hands-on, it can be more expensive, but it’s a great option for individuals with medical needs that are hard to manage without help.
Like independent living, assisted living offers social events and group activities. However, events in assisted living programs will often be tailored to the needs of their residents, so more staff will be available to help with activities, and activities may require less movement.
Assisted living is also great for individuals who need help monitoring their health. Onsite medical staff are available in assisted living. These staff members assist with medical tasks like hourly safety checks, medication and treatment management, and arranging medical appointments. Medical staff in assisted living are also able to respond to medical emergencies.
The care received in assisted living goes beyond just the medical. In assisted living, staff will also help residents with their hygiene needs, housekeeping, and mobility. Many assisted living programs are customizable, so residents can maintain the level of independence that is best for them.
The individuals who will benefit the most from assisted living are those who need help with everyday activities.
Find the Right Community for Your Needs
Moving into a senior living program may seem overwhelming, but the results can be life changing! Regardless of whether independent or assisted living is the right choice, access to a community, accommodating staff, and amenities can lead to a much better quality of life for residents.
At Buena Vista Assisted Living, our programs are fully customizable to respect our residents’ needs, routines, and preferences. We’ve made sure to create a comfortable and welcoming environment to ensure you or your loved one can feel at home in our facilities. We also provide a variety of fun activities to keep our residents engaged with the Buena Vista community.
You can contact us to meet with one of our professional staff members to learn more about the program options we offer. We want to ensure our residents feel at home and receive the care they deserve in our facilities.