Do you feel that moving to a senior living community might improve your life or the life of a loved one? You are not alone. Senior living communities provide ample benefits to residents and their families. But perhaps you’re not sure which living option is the best for your given situation? To make this process easier for you, we explore the three most popular living options for seniors in Glenview, Illinois. We’ll explain what each type of care provides and what services and amenities you can expect with each. That way, you can decide which type may be the right choice for your family.
The Three Most Common Types of Senior Living Options
Independent Living
In independent senior living, residents can live their best lives filled with more joy and wellness. They get to enjoy everyday life surrounded by peers and friends but have fewer (if any at all) chores to take care of. Household tasks are taken care of by community staff, there is medical care when needed, and residents can enjoy their days filled with fun activities. Residents may come and go as they please, and communities often provide upscale amenities that make life easier and more enjoyable. Examples of this may be on-site fitness centers, group wellness classes, physical therapy, transportation services, activity rooms, and more). Independent living is a popular choice for seniors who are active and healthy but value their privacy and wish to have fewer responsibilities and more opportunities to savor life.
Assisted Living
Assisted living is a great setting for seniors preferring a little more assistance from caretakers in their day-to-day lives. Studies have shown that assisted living can help to improve seniors’ quality of life. Residents in assisted living communities experience many benefits and support. Some examples of this include help with medication management, getting extra attention at mealtimes and accommodations for dietary restrictions or individual tastes, and support with everyday tasks like bathing and getting dressed. Residents also get help with moving around, and friendly staff ensures there is encouragement to do so daily.
The big benefit of assisted living is that there is always a helping hand nearby for residents. Plus, residents live in social and cheerful surroundings. Residents also experience great comfort with plenty of community amenities. In most senior living communities offering both assisted living and independent living, on-site amenities are available to all residents. So, residents in assisted living get to enjoy all the same amenities and “perks” as everyone else. Plus, they get extra assistance from friendly caretakers, whenever they need it.
Memory Care
Memory care (sometimes called dementia care) is dedicated care for seniors living with a type of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Memory care can be further divided into two sub-categories:
- Progressed dementia care – often referred to as designated memory care or dementia care; and
- Early-stage dementia (also often referred to as MCI – or mild cognitive impairment).
The most dedicated senior living communities do indeed provide two unique living options for these two different stages of dementia. We’ll describe each here.
Memory and Dementia Care For Progressed Stages
If your loved one has been living with dementia for a while and the progression of the disease in their cognitive abilities is well noticeable, they may benefit from a dedicated memory care living option. In the safe surroundings of a memory care community, residents and their families can have peace of mind that caretakers are there around the clock to help residents.
Care in designated memory care communities includes customized, nutritious meal plans and tailored physical and mental wellness options, that encourage residents’ optimal health. Residents also get to enjoy social activities that help them form bonds with their peers. The community layout in a great memory care community is designed to comfort and relieve people living with cognitive decline. This is done by avoiding overstimulation (such as loud noises, bright colors, confusing signage, etc.). Staff in memory care communities are specially trained in dementia care best practices and they are equipped with tools to enable residents to live their best life.
Dementia Care For Early-Stage Dementias
For people living with MCI – meaning in the early stages of their dementia – full dementia care may not be needed or desired at this point. Seniors living with just mild cognitive impairments often enjoy a slightly more stimulating environment and social activities. If your loved one is in that group, The Arbor Company’s Bridges neighborhood may be the right living option for them. The Bridges neighborhood is a unique type of senior living environment. It provides the perfect balance between the detailed care a person with the onset of dementia needs, and the freedom and fun experiences they crave in their lives. Bridges programs are unique in every aspect, and they are highly customized to residents. From the community’s layout, the apartment floor plans, residents’ dining experience (which is set to be rich and innovative), to the gentle care and patients residents value and trust.
Do you think your loved one may be in those early stages of cognitive decline? Maybe they’re getting more forgetful, or they have expressed the desire for more support in their life. Yet they’re still quite active and wish for a more vibrant social life? Then a Bridges neighborhood might be exactly what they might long for.
We hope this information helps you and your family better understand the senior living options in Glenview, so that you can choose the right community for you or your loved one. Many seniors feel living in a senior living community greatly enhances their lives over living alone. Even aging spouses living together often see tremendous improvements in their lives after moving to a senior living community. And the best communities accommodate spouses wishing to stay together, sharing the same apartment without any problems—even if the spouses have different mental or physical capabilities at their age.
Are you looking for some guidance to help you evaluate all the senior living communities in and around Glenview, IL? Our printable checklist will help you track all of the important features and items that matter to you and your family! Use this checklist as you visit and compare different communities — download our Evaluating Senior Living Options checklist.
