The baby boomer generation, who made waves in their youth and adulthood, are continuing to buck the trend of society when it comes to retirement. By 2030, it’s predicted that all baby boomers will be 65 or older, making this generation the largest senior demographic ever. It’s no wonder that the “gray tsunami” is causing waves when it comes to retirement living, retirement lifestyles, and senior care services.
There are more choices than ever nowadays when it comes to retirement living. If you or a loved one are beginning the search for a senior living community, you may feel overwhelmed by choices and confused by new terms.
Here at WhiteStone, we understand that choosing a community in which to spend your golden years is an incredibly important decision. In order to assist you, we’ve put together information about the full continuum of care in senior living that’s available to you. We hope it will help clarify the different levels of care services and give you an idea of what lifestyle might be right for you or your senior loved one.
Independent Living
Independent living is a lot like living in your current home but with many more benefits. Seniors who move into independent living will find themselves in a maintenance-free, worry-free atmosphere where they have access to everything the community has to offer (plus a comfortable private residence). Think of it like going to a resort – except you never have to leave.
Independent living is the most flexible and independent lifestyle available in senior living. That’s probably why many seniors who are still active and healthy choose to sell their homes and move into independent living. They no longer have to worry about lawn maintenance, property taxes, cleaning, or even cooking meals – almost everything is included in their monthly fees. Best of all, they live in a community that’s been designed specifically for the needs of an aging adult, meaning they can age in place in a healthy, active manner without having to give up any hobbies or activities. Plus, it’s a great way to build a new community of friends.
Assisted Living
Assisted living is the next level of care in senior living. This lifestyle is designed for older adults who are fairly healthy overall but need a little help with the activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming, medication management, and transportation. For older adults who are finding it more and more difficult to take care of a home (and themselves), assisted living can provide security and peace of mind.
Many Life Plan Communities (also known as Continuing Care Retirement Communities) like WhiteStone provide either assisted living or in-home care on campus, meaning that residents who moved to independent living first don’t need to leave the community they’ve come to know and love. While residents at WhiteStone can move into assisted living if they so choose, we also provide in-home care that takes place in our residents’ independent living residence. This allows them to live safer and longer in their own homes, providing the assistance they need with the independence they want.
Skilled Nursing
The next level of care after assisted living is skilled nursing. In skilled nursing, residents enjoy a homelike residential setting plus the benefits of licensed physicians and registered nurses who are available 24/7 to provide medical assistance and personal care.
Skilled nursing is most beneficial to seniors who require long-term care for chronic conditions like advanced diabetes, or degenerative illnesses such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease. While some seniors need skilled nursing care as their permanent residence, short-term skilled nursing care is available for seniors who need to recover following an illness, accident or surgery.
Memory Care
For individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, memory care communities are a safe, secure environment that’s been designed specifically for the needs of those with memory loss. Memory care can be either standalone or a part of a Life Plan Community, like we have at WhiteStone.
In memory care, caregivers are trained in dementia best practices and focus on celebrating the person who remains, not the disease. Everything in the community is created to provide dignity, confidence and quality of life to those living there, no matter what stage of the disease they may be in.
The Benefits of Moving to Senior Living Sooner Rather Than Later
While many of us secretly believe that we will be young and healthy forever, the fact of the matter is that the future is impossible to predict. For seniors and their loved ones, that’s why it’s essential to understand your options, discover your preferences and get what you want.
As a Life Plan Community, we have certain requirements for our incoming residents because of the Life Care contract we offer. If you are considering moving to our amazing community in Greensboro, NC, we urge you to consider moving sooner rather than later – so you’re able to make the decision for yourself while you still qualify for residency. Then, you’ll have the safety and security of knowing you will be taken care of no matter what may change with your health needs.
Many of our WhiteStone residents tell us that they wish they had moved to our community sooner! They point out that moving to our community when you’re younger means that you have more time to enjoy the maintenance-free lifestyle and all our services and amenities while also having more time to make new friends and transform our community into your true home.
Discover Unparalleled Senior Living
Retirement living at WhiteStone means peace of mind as well as a whole new world of opportunity. Our full continuum of care ensures that our residents can enjoy our vibrant, fulfilling lifestyle for as long as they choose to call us home.
Contact us for a tour or to speak with a member of our team about the full continuum of care and everything WhiteStone offers.