Aged care is a fantastic way to not only ensure that you or your loved ones get the care they may need, but are also provided with a sense of community to enrich their days. Communities have many benefits for older people and help to ensure that they enter their retirement or this next phase of their lives in the best way possible: with anticipation and a sense of personal security.
This guide will help you understand all the benefits that a community in aged care will provide, and exactly what you can expect from your new retirement community.
Social connection
It’s no secret that humans are social beings and as we age, the innate need for social connection doesn’t dim in the slightest. Retirement communities offer the primary benefit of not only maintaining but in many instances, increasing the opportunities that their residents may have for making social connections. Aged care communities bring like-minded people together, help form friendships and keep social connections alive. Something as simple as a conversation can change the course of a day, and in an aged care community, there is a new person to speak with every day. These communities will help you create new bonds and discover relationships you didn’t know were possible.
Encourage learning
Aged care communities not only bring people together to help create social connections, but they may also encourage learning and trying new things as well. Aged care communities are all about inclusiveness and discovering new things no matter what phase of life you’re in. Coincidentally, these care facilities also offer residents a range of activities and skills to learn within their new communities as well. Learning a new skill alongside your peers is another great benefit to living aged care communities. The stigma of trying something different or taking part in an activity is removed thanks to the community around you.
It’s also worth mentioning that learning new things is one of the most surefire ways of enriching your life, ensuring longevity in your old age, and making your days in retirement feel fuller, richer, and longer. It’s very likely that your elderly loved ones will absolutely jump at the opportunity to take on a few new hobbies with their fellow peers.
Keep your identity
As we age it’s important to maintain who we are as an individual. As we transition through our stages of life, it can be easy to lose ourselves and our identity, or our personal sense of who we are, or who we used to be. Communities in aged care offer the benefit of encouraging residents to maintain that sense of self through a plethora of opportunities to engage with their family members and other loved ones alongside their retirement community.
In an aged care community, you aren’t just someone’s job or a nameless patient with copious personal health records that must be sifted through. You are an individual and a valued member of a vibrant, local community. This individuality helps residents maintain their identity and develop a strong sense of purpose and belonging. Whether your identity is strongly tied to a personal passion, religious affiliation or spiritual belief, or even to your grandchildren and other family members or loved ones, your dedicated carers and the community around you will help you maintain that identity however they can.
Keeps you active
One thing a community doesn’t stand for is someone who sits alone in their room or residence. Communities in aged care help to keep residents active and healthy. Physical movement won’t just be required, it will be enjoyed as you move from social circle to social circle, or to the next activity on your weekly wellness plan. Physical activity is incredibly important in all phases of life, even more so as we enter older age. Aged care communities help residents thrive by encouraging them to remain active, increasing blood flow, avoiding muscle loss and helping to create a better overall quality of life for residents from all walks of life. Communities are essentially a fantastic way to ensure you remain mobile and active as you transition into your golden years.
Help is always close…
In the event that help is required, one of the real benefits of community in aged care is the eyes and ears that are available to you when you may need them. There is no doubt that we will all need assistance at some point in our aged care journey, or even just during life in general. Having a community around you means that finding the right help or at least starting in the right direction is a simple endeavour. Whether it’s through conversation with other residents about their treatment or via the care providers within their wider community, help is always likely to be nearby. This can be hugely beneficial to both residents and their families as well. Knowing your loved ones are cared for can offer immediate family members some much-needed peace of mind.
…& family is always welcome
Finally, communities in aged care are a big bonus for those with family living in the area or even in a neighbouring suburb. Visits can be as frequent and lengthy as the family prefers them to be, meaning that you can feel free to embark on a daytrip with your elderly loved one or even just duck round for a coffee. Regular visits and the ability to welcome family at any time can be a huge benefit for family-oriented seniors.
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As you can see, a sense of community in aged care can hold so many benefits for both residents and their families alike. Having the peace of mind that you can thrive, maintain social connections, and retain your sense of self throughout your years in retirement are all reason enough to be excited about your transition into aged care.
