Senior Living Facilities - Planning For the Future

Most old people, given the choice, would usually make the decision that they would rather live at home independently or at least in independent living apartments, maybe in a communal assisted living village, than go into old people's, elderly care or senior homes.

Making independent living for seniors successful is not always easy. It is better to get the family involved and make plans early before retirement age arrives.

Planning early gives a better chance of knowing what exactly might be needed before it happens so that preparations can be made for a smooth transition.

Here are a few steps to help you start planning:

Begin by exploring all the options:

* Start considering some of the less obvious solutions, for example getting a specially designed bathroom or garden. Turn the community into a natural retirement environment. The community agency can help provide services.

* Carry out some research on any home care or independent living resources that might be available.

There are options available for those living independently and there are services which can help ease difficulties in daily activities such as cooking, shopping and housekeeping. A meal delivery service is available, where food is delivered to your door.

* Plan a meeting. This is good to do as early as possible. It is a building step to help set up home care for older family members, since these things can take some time to set up.

Within a group you can plan and work together to build a supportive environment as they continue to get older. This may include a discussion about health care, carers, providers and help from family and friends. A meeting such as this is a fantastic way to understand what care the older member requires from the start. Things are made clear from the beginning.

* Put together a plan. A family member or whoever is involved should begin by spending the day with the senior person and jotting down their daily routine.This will help you to understand their most alert times, when they are most active and alert, and times when they are more weak, tired, depressed or anxious.

Work around this to plan their daily activities for when they are most active and to provide extra care when they have less energy. Plan to provide specific care at times when they may be more vulnerable to accidents and falling ill.

Independent Living for Seniors - Practical Needs to Consider:

Finances: Do they have the finances needed for their care? Assisted living costs can be high. Can they apply for finance resources from the government? Do they need somebody to manage their money or would they rather do it alone?

Transport: Are they able to travel alone? Is a wheelchair required? Do they need a carer to travel with them?

Health care: Are there local pharmacies near where they live? Are there local doctors and hospitals? Arrange a plan for when they are ill or have a medical problem on a weekend.

Maintaining the household: What tasks can they do alone? What do they need help with? Who is available to do those tasks that they can not do?

These are all there points to consider from the beginning. To make your job easier plan ahead!