Moving into Senior Living During Covid-19

Senior living facilities can benefit your loved ones and improve their quality of life in a variety of ways. However, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, some families may prefer to keep their loved ones away from assisted living facilities and long-term care facilities. While Covid-19 has had a disproportionate impact on senior living facilities during the recent ongoing pandemic, it is important that you are making an informed decision for your or a loved one's health and care needs. Below, we have identified 4 benefits to senior living for you to consider as you evaluate your options for yourself or a loved one.  

The pandemic has highlighted the effects that social isolation has had on individuals and how these concerns have disproportionately impacted older adults. A sense of community is necessary and vital to the physical and mental well-being of individuals, and given the pandemic, it has made it increasingly difficult for vulnerable communities such as seniors to socialize.  

You may find it difficult to implement the strict social distancing and screening policies that many care homes provide you with from your own home. As seniors are the most vulnerable community impacted by the pandemic, activity coordinators in senior living facilities have found creative ways to keep your loved ones occupied throughout their stay, while ensuring their safety. Many facilities have enforced vaccination policies and screenings to ensure that residents in care communities may still see visitors and join in on social events and gatherings while staying safe. With senior living, your loved ones are provided with opportunities to safely socialize and bond with older adults who share common interests, while receiving the additional support that they would not receive at home. 

Many seniors choose assisted living to retain their independence by receiving support with household work and personal care, and to alleviate their concerns regarding their personal safety in the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. To ensure their safety and overall care, staff workers are there to help with administering residents’ required medications, cleaning their rooms, and providing them with daily meals if needed. Additionally, the staff in senior living communities have been trained to be on call in the event of an emergency, and extensive safety precautions are implemented throughout facilities to guarantee that seniors can navigate these communities on their own, safely. 

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the issue of safety concerning cleaning procedures and sanitization at facilities has been a concern for many. Given this, senior care facilities have been diligent with taking extra precautions to ensure that shared areas and frequently touched surfaces are regularly being sanitized with medical-grade disinfectants to reduce the spread of the virus. The staff at care homes have also been specifically trained to perform daily screenings to mitigate the chance of the virus spreading to reduce the likelihood of an outbreak in the community.

As retirement facilities are designed with a senior’s safety in mind, the risks of falls and household injuries are significantly reduced in senior living communities in comparison to living at home. Residents have access to safety features such as: 

• Hallway handrails
• Raised toilets
• Flat and slip-proof hallways
• Bright lighting
• Wheelchair access
• Built-in shower grip bars

Many facilities also provide medical alert bands and/or necklaces in the event of an emergency where seniors cannot access the nearest phone. 

There are a variety of benefits that accompany a move to a senior living community that we encourage you to explore with your loved ones. As senior living communities can offer a variety of services, it is important to note that the list above is not exhaustive and you may find that as you research and engage with more senior living communities, you can find a community that caters to you or your loved one’s personal health and care needs.