klaus
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Jun 19, 2006, 8:27 AM
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There once was a time when the prospect of moving to a retirement home or assisted living residence was viewed with dread, as the move was viewed as the onset of a rapid decline. To be fair, retirement residences of yesteryear weren’t exactly fun places to which to move, as they tended to be Spartan in both creature comforts and social amenities. But that’s rapidly changing as more and more companies see the potential for profit while they render a service to the community in providing outstanding care for our seniors.
The percentage of seniors actually moving into an assisted living residence has traditionally been in the eight to 10 percent range, as many seniors preferred to stay in their homes as long as they could. However, that percentage is currently increasing, as more and more assisted living residences begin to take a holistic approach toward their residents’ needs
Today’s successful retirement residences are those that provide not only for the physical needs of their residents, but also for the social, intellectual and spiritual, while ensuring that seniors maintain the highest possible degree of independence and dignity.
Many seniors who are urged by their families to move to a retirement residence and who have resisted doing so with all their might find themselves wondering why they resisted for so long, once they make the move. Suddenly they find themselves among people of similar interests and values with whom they can share ideas. It isn’t uncommon for romance to blossom as widows and widowers find one another and discover they have things in common.
Perhaps one of the main reasons that living in a retirement residence is such a good idea is that meals are prepared and observed on a regular basis. It’s not unusual for individuals or couples who move into a retirement residence to gain weight because healthy, nutritious meals are regularly served.
Many retirement residences are staffed with full-time nursing or medical professionals to ensure that their residents’ medical care is looked after. Most have state-of-the-art two-way communications systems that bring help quickly in case of an emergency, but that can also be used for more mundane purposes, such as booking an appointment with the visiting physiotherapist or arranging for a haircut in the on-premises beauty salon.
Nearly all-modern retirement residences have exercise facilities and a knowledgeable trainer to conduct exercise classes and provide personal training for residents wishing to stay in shape. It’s a wonderful hedge against advancing osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease to have exercise facilities available that not only prolong life, but also improve life’s quality.
Most new retirement residences also have a chapel of some sort and offer spiritual programs of either a denominational or non-denominational nature.
Often retirement residences have crafts rooms, where the residents gather to sew, pour ceramic pottery or engage in some other craft.
Computer facilities have become de rigueur as more and more seniors have become conversant with the Internet. Some residences go so far as to provide wireless Internet access to their residents, who can then surf the net in the comfort of their rooms.
Many residences have movie theaters on site that will seat 20 to 30 residents wishing to enjoy a night at the movies.
Most residences have also discovered the joys of caring for living things and as such provide access to an outdoor garden or greenhouse space within the residence. There are also numerous assisted living facilities that have resident pets, a cat and or dog that live in the residence and is looked after and cared for by the residents.
Retirement living is a lot more desirable than it was a quarter century ago. As the population ages and older seniors comprise a larger percentage of the population, retirement residences will continue to develop in ways that meets their residents’ needs. There’s never been a better time to move to a retirement residence than now.
Klaus Rohrich is President and Creative Director of Taylor/Rohrich Associates Inc., a marketing and advertising firm that specializes in niche marketing retirement real estate developments http://www.maturitymarketing.com.
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