There are over 1.2 million residents in nursing homes in the United States.
Nursing homes are a popular choice for older folks who aren’t able to stay with their families or need more support than their families can give.
But some are hesitant to send their family to a nursing facility. They worry that it means removing their loved one from their family home and leaving them with strangers.
If you’re one of these people, you have nothing to worry about! There are loads of benefits for your loved one if they live in a skilled nursing facility.
Keep reading to learn about the top five benefits.
1. Social Engagement
One of the biggest problems facing older adults is their loneliness. Once their children move away and they retire, it’s difficult to get any kind of social engagement. This lack of social activity is linked to poorer health.
Even though some older people join clubs and try to find regular activities to participate in, these events usually only happen once a week. That means they’re only out interacting with other people a few times a week, assuming they’ve got a few activities lined up.
But if your senior relative was in a living facility, they’d have a lively community to engage with. Nursing facilities have common rooms and several daily group activities. This means your loved one is constantly going to engage with other residents, building friendships and enjoying hobbies.
These social engagements are crucial for allowing seniors to connect and continually build their sense of identity. For your loved one’s social and mental health, a skilled nursing home is one of the best places they could be.
2. Reduced Risk of Injury
Older adults typically have a long list of injuries that they’re recovering from or from which they suffer from flare-ups. This is a natural result of being an active adult – their bodies aren’t what they used to be, and living an active life can take a toll in later years.
When seniors continue to live in their family homes, usually in buildings that aren’t designed for seniors, it means they’re at risk of worsening their injuries. Things are too heavy, or steps are too high. When they’re on their own, they are at risk of falling, tripping, or otherwise injuring themselves.
But at a skilled nursing facility, everything is designed with senior residents in mind, and skilled nursing staff is around to assist. They’re able to look out for residents and help them as needed. This greatly reduces the chance of injuries for your elderly loved ones.
3. Personalized Care
Every resident is different. Some residents have physical conditions that require permanent medical assistance. Others might have mental struggles that require specialized nursing, such as memory care.
With a team of skilled nurses, each resident gets the attention they need. You don’t have to worry about things like whether your family member is getting the right medication.
Skilled nursing staff can even manage ventilator care, whether it’s keeping someone safely on a ventilator or weaning them off of one.
With personalized care, your senior relative is guaranteed to get all the support they need. Learn more about our services and care options here.
4. Daily Task Assistance
Daily tasks are some of the most difficult for the elderly. This is why many nursing facility residents benefit from assistance with these tasks.
One of the most well-enjoyed examples of this is food preparation. Many older adults lose interest in cooking food or struggle to find the right portion control if they’re only cooking enough for themselves. It also means they’ve got to plan their meals, do shopping, and cook the food.
For those who are being considered for senior care, there are even dangers in letting them continue cooking for themselves in their home. When eyesight, hearing, and memory aren’t what they used to be, it means the kitchen can be a disaster waiting to happen.
Nursing facilities take care of all of that. Residents don’t have to worry about organizing their own food. And family can rest assured that their loved ones are getting well-balanced meals and aren’t a risk to themselves in the kitchen.
Another daily task many appreciate assistance with is cleaning. Older adults sometimes struggle with maintaining their hygiene or keeping up with cleaning and other household chores. The cleaning staff will come in every few days and change the sheets, sweep the floors, and do a general cleaning.
5. Emergency Assistance
Skilled nursing facilities have emergency medical centers on hand. This way you know if your loved one is injured, it’ll be seen immediately. They’ll also take care of calling an ambulance or transporting your loved one to a hospital if they need it.
Senior living facilities even have emergency help buttons scattered around so it’s easy to call for help when needed. This emergency response is important because, depending on the injury, it can change the severity of the result of the injury.
Your aging relative has a much better chance of surviving injuries or getting the help they need if they’re at a skilled nursing home than continuing to live alone.
Benefits of a Skilled Nursing Facility
A skilled nursing facility is a wonderful option for your aging relatives.
These facilities give your loved one their own space while keeping them safe and having emergency assistance on hand if they need it. It also means they’re able to boost their health by interacting with other people and continuing to live full and happy lives.
If you’d like any more information about Exceptional Living Centers, contact us today!