Today’s senior living options have come a long way and are more exciting than ever. That’s because at one time, aging meant retiring to a rocking chair to watch the world pass by. Eventually, that chair would be replaced by a chair in a nursing home. But no more. Everything has changed: aging, older adults, and senior living itself.
Like a welcome breath of fresh air, today’s lifestyles offer stimulation, hospitality, comfort and a high quality of life. It’s great news for everyone of a certain age, including baby boomers: today’s senior living options are where it’s at!
Seniors have changed.
• Seniors are busier than ever, with more diverse interests. Many use their retirement years to travel, master new hobbies, or give back to their communities. Some even take up extreme sports such as skydiving. But even for those who keep their feet on the ground, there’s a common thread: most active older adults value time with their families, and more than half participate in religious activities. They want to lead a purposeful life—one filled with opportunities to volunteer, gain knowledge, expand their connections, and bolster their relationships.
Having a purpose is good for your mental and physical health, and today’s senior living options are reflecting that awareness. Several studies over the past two decades confirm that seniors with a purpose in life are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, heart attacks, or strokes. At New Perspective, we believe older adults deserve to live life on purpose. We like to say that we offer more than senior living, we offer a purposeful daily interactive experience to keep you engaged and living your best life.
• Seniors understand how important it is to stay active. They’re seeing the benefits of exercise and healthy eating. And more than ever, they understand how staying socially connected can extend their lives and help stave off chronic medical conditions. Studies have shown:
- Seniors with active social lives have about half the memory loss of less engaged seniors.
- Exercise reduces the risk of death in seniors. It also improves strength, balance, and memory. It can decrease the risk of falls, delay diseases, and fight off depression.
- Loneliness is a major threat to senior health. One study of people 50 and older found that loneliness was twice as deadly as obesity.
Today’s older adults want senior living options that give them dynamic opportunities for exercise and wellness, as well as ways to enjoy quality friendships. It might be a class, a club that promotes walking, activities that make it easy to make friends and connect, nutritional counseling, and more. Modern senior living communities know good health is about more than just access to medical care and the right prescription drugs. Staying active, learning new things, and spending time with like-minded people are all ingredients in the recipe for better health. Rather than removing these options from reach, contemporary senior living options make them more accessible.
Senior living communities have changed as well.
As the saying goes, this isn’t your grandmother’s nursing home. A senior living community like New Perspective is a vibrant, inspiring, hospitality-focused lifestyle where older adults are focusing on lifelong wellness as never before.
Senior living options today:
• Understand the health concerns that can accompany age. Vision can change, and mobility may decline. That makes it more difficult to spend time with friends, go on outings, or make plans without consulting the schedule of a willing chauffeur. Quality senior living communities remove these barriers by putting seniors in the midst of active, bustling communities that offer access to classes, exercise, and the great outdoors. (And don’t forget the added bonus of giving you an escape from the burden of home maintenance, upkeep and daily chores like we do at New Perspective!)
• Make residents’ lives bigger. As we age, it can feel that our world becomes smaller (fewer friends, less socialization, driving shorter distances and giving up night driving, and living in just one or two rooms in the home). Senior living options today give you the opportunity to easily expand relationships (new friends), reconnect to favorite activities that you might have given up (loved the symphony but had no one to go with; enjoyed theater but could not drive at night), and introduce new adventures (I didn’t know that I could paint!).
• Know that adult children and caregivers no longer just want seniors to be safe. They want them to be happy. Just look at how Google search trends are shifting. “Assisted living” and “senior living” continue to rise in popularity as search terms. Searches for “nursing home” have been on the decline for years. Terms such as “skilled nursing,” “senior memory care,” and “senior housing” continue to figure more prominently in web searches and books. This suggests not only that the realities of senior living are changing, but that consumer expectations are shifting alongside those changes.
It’s a whole new world in senior living options—and you benefit!
Whether you are considering a carefree, inspiring lifestyle for yourself, or for a loved one, you will be pleased with the many positive senior living options that await you. If you are ready to make a fresh start, we are ready to welcome you here at New Perspective. We think it’s time to make the most of what life has in store!
We’d love to meet you. Contact us today to schedule your visit. Download our free “Complete Guide to Choosing Between Senior Living Options”, we invite you to learn more.
