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As you get older, downsizing can make a lot of sense. But where should you go? Depending on your age, you may want to consider moving into a senior living apartment that can meet all of your needs.
Nursing Care vs. Independent Senior Living
Senior living apartments aren’t what they used to be. In the past, there were generally two types of residences: nursing care and independent living communities. Nursing care facilities were focused on seniors who required assistance due to disease or illness such as dementia or mobility issues. Independent living communities were age-restricted communities, often senior apartments or townhouses, where you lived more or less as you would have in your home but among neighbors who were all your own age.
A new type of senior housing option combines the two, providing apartments with options for flexible care. It’s an option that allows seniors to age in place.
Senior Living Communities
One of the drawbacks to many age-restricted senior living communities is that they are not suitable for seniors who need more extensive care or face mobility issues. Apartments and townhouses may not feature universal design to make housing accessible for all and those who need care may require expensive live-in caregivers. By comparison, some senior housing companies have received grants from governments to improve accessibility through universal design and architecture.
Flexible Senior Living
Beyond architectural accessibility, you can now also find senior living apartments that allow you to stay when you need greater levels of care. There are Berkeley apartments with top amenities that are great for senior parents. You can move into a suite and enjoy never having to worry about home maintenance or all the chores like cooking and cleaning, and stay right where you are, no matter what happens to your health.
Aging in Place
Aging in place is what the vast majority of seniors want and it’s the new priority in senior housing options. Aging in place can mean staying in your family home, but that is an expensive way to do it. Not only will you remain over-housed, but your old house likely isn’t designed to help you stay independent. Many family houses are what are called Peter Pan houses – houses built without any thought to the residents growing older.
Features to Look for in Senior Living Apartments
Moving into a senior living apartment with accessibility features such as walk-in bathtubs, no stairs, flush thresholds, grab bars, and other essentials for aging seniors mean you can get by without assistance for longer, even if your mobility is reduced. Staying where you are could mean restricting your independence earlier than you need to. Take this life advice from seniors and enjoy your independence for as long as possible.
Aging in place doesn’t exclusively mean staying at home. It means living where you choose. It can make a lot of sense to choose senior living apartments that combine independent living with access to advanced levels of care should you need it. You can downsize now without having to worry about where you will go should your health take a turn. Choosing a senior living apartment designed with accessibility in mind will also you stay independent for longer.