From dining and accommodations to the amenities and a bustling and diverse social aspect, there’s a lot more reason to get excited about today’s brand of senior living. And that’s why it’s time we change any lingering public perceptions that portray the senior lifestyle as being typified by boring repetition, lazy afternoons in a rocking chair, or just passing time until the once-weekly exhilaration of Wednesday bingo!
In essence, it’s time for seniors and families to expect more from the senior lifestyle, and in doing so, demand more from the communities they entrust to provide it. Times indeed have changed, and so too has the once-singular function of “old-style” senior living communities.
So here’s what to look for if, like so many seniors today, you’re after that more active, empowered, and higher-quality lifestyle:
Memorable Dining
Today’s senior dining experiences are being built upon a foundation of optionality and more expansive choices. Freshness, menu diversity, and service have all been enhanced to the point where senior dining is truly restaurant-quality.
From local and regional favorites to international dishes, comfort foods, and even more casual, pub fare, nothing is off-limits. In fact, many communities have even instituted all-day dining and everyday menu items, which taken alongside the day’s specials and willingness to accommodate personalized requests, provide the flexibility to satisfy even the pickiest of palettes.
Opportunities for Friendship & Socialization
In addition to realizing the many joys of maintenance-free living, beating the ill effects of isolation is an important advantage of the senior living community setting. Resort-style communities offer plenty of amenity-rich selections, which may include senior-specific fitness, game and media rooms, and even movie theaters, lovely pool and spa areas, and many more destinations for friends to meet and come together.
Nowadays, however, seniors aren’t responsible for finding their own good times. That’s where the community’s (full-time) Activities Director comes in. As planners of all things fun and festive, they’ll eliminate monotony and boredom by planning everything from cornhole tournaments to concerts, and clubs to those ever-popular day trips and outside dining adventures.
Safety, Care & Service
Senior communities have long offered attentive care and service from dedicated professionals, whose warmth and personal touch has the power to leave an indelible mark on seniors’ lives.
Recently, however, COVID-19 has helped further demonstrate the value of living in a controlled community setting, where security and quality of life can be better preserved and needs attentively met in such emergency situations.
Foremost senior living communities, for example, have led the way in launching resident-focused programs for in-home dining and care, online procurement of grocery items and medications, and facilitating video chats with family members. This, in addition to the implementation of stringent health and safety protocols, has resulted in superior protection for at-risk seniors, who rely on their chosen communities for a comprehensive lifestyle experience, not just a place to live.
