Is Senior Living Safe Right Now?

At a time when headlines show increasing cases of corona virus around the globe and provide guidance on isolation and social distancing with additional precautions recommended for seniors, it may seem counterintuitive to consider senior living. However, for many families, the support and unique lifestyle senior living offers is essential to their peace of mind. Here are the Top 5 Reasons to consider Senior Living.

1. Aging's timeline has not paused: First and foremost, illnesses and conditions do not stop because of a pandemic. In fact, decreased doctor visits and interactions with peers and caregivers might mean conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease could be going unchecked. With less oversight of diet, exercise, and medication management, some seniors may experience more rapid progression of their conditions. At Commonwealth Senior Living, our team partners with residents' primary healthcare providers to deliver the support and daily oversight each resident needs and notifies these providers of any changes in order to reassess needs and adjust care plans quickly.
2. Access to nutritious meals and supplies is not a concern: One of the many concerns families have when thinking about their aging loved ones isolating at home is their access to fresh, healthy meals. Seniors with any ailments which would put them in a higher risk category for COVID-19 complications have been advised not to leave the home unless it is absolutely essential. Even for those who are able to get to the market, many basic items are often out of stock (meat, cleaning supplies, and paper products). This means that they are relying heavily on pantry items and frozen foods which often have higher sodium and preservative content and less nutrition. Conversely, Commonwealth Senior Living residents continue to enjoy award-winning, farm-to-table dining with a variety of options prepared daily as we have direct access to the suppliers in a way that individuals living at home do not.
3. Your emotional health matters too: The truth is that isolation and depression go hand in hand. As seniors (or any of us, for that matter!) continue in these weeks and months of isolation seeing very few people, the likelihood of developing depression increases. However, this does not have to be the case. While senior living communities are practicing social distancing per CDC guidelines, residents are continuing to enjoy activities with the recommended 6' distance as well to include exercise, games, and trivia. Our teams are constantly working to connect residents with their loved ones via Facetime, window visits, and even recently organized parades at several communities. These are connections and technology that individuals may not have access to at home.
4. There is no substitution for infection control: Commonwealth Senior Living has long had processes in practice to prevent or contain viruses like norovirus or influenza. Maintaining strict disinfectant policies and enhanced housekeeping protocols are nothing new for us. In addition to this, we also follow the CDC's rigid infection control guidelines in place at this time for senior living. These policies and procedures helped us prepare for the current climate. We are also testing all new residents as well as residents returning from hospital or rehab visits as an added safety precaution. These safety measures and oversight are far beyond what would be possible to create at home.
5. A team of experts protecting your safety: Finally, our residents enjoy a team of housekeepers working to ensure their home, our common areas are clean and sanitized on a daily basis. All associates are wearing masks, and we have plenty of personal protective equipment to keep everyone safe. With recent shortages of cleaning and protective gear for the average consumer, our residents' families rest assured that their loved ones will never worry about being without the supplies they need. Residents are monitored daily and treated to interactive games and one on one activities through our innovative, award-winning programming. All of these steps are taken to ensure both residents and associates remain healthy.

If you have been considering senior living for a loved one but have worried that this may not be the right time, consider the information above and reach out to the community nearest you to discuss your options.