Retirement News : Seniors : Independent Living: A New Way to Grow Old

Independent Living: A New Way to Grow Old

Date Added: 23-04-2005

As long as I can remember, my family has driven to Virginia to see my grandmother, Nana, as we call her. Thanksgiving, Christmas, family reunions (which most years I got out of), cousins’ graduations, the list goes on and on. Growing up I could plan my school year around the trek to the Commonwealth. As Nana has gotten older these traditions have continued, al be it with a much larger family in tow. For the first time in 32 years all of this will change. Nana is 86 years old now and she needs more help.

Don’t misunderstand me; she’s as spunky as ever. She will argue with anyone who will listen that she is right and they are wrong. She has lived by herself in a 2-story town home for the past 18 years. I never thought of her living any other way, but over the past year we have started to notice some changes. A woman who once would not leave the house without her 3-inch stiletto heels is now very wobbly when she walks and requires the use of a walker. This woman who would fill up an entire Thanksgiving table with 3 different meats, potatoes and pies is now afraid to turn on the stove because she’s scared she’ll forget to turn it off. After several long, tough discussions Nana, my dad and his sister came to the realization that living by herself is no longer safe. In May, my family will make that 3 and ½ hour drive again, this time moving Nana into an Independent Apartment for seniors.

A lot of people may not realize that there are actually several different levels of care for the elderly. The most common are Independent Living Communities, Intermediate Care Facilities and Skilled Nursing Facilities. No longer is it true that at a certain age seniors get “put away into a nursing home.” These levels stair step into one another as the need for skilled nursing services increases. The first stage, the one Nana will be entering, is the Independent Living level. These types of communities offer their residents an apartment or cottage that gives the person the feeling of independence. While technically still living alone, this type of setting will provide Nana the ability to socialize with other people, many of whom she has known for years at her church.

These neighborhoods offer meal service so she won’t have to worry about cooking, light housekeeping services and transportation out into the community. The only entrance requirement to these types of facilities is that the person must be able to make their own decisions and to take care of their own activities of daily living (ADL) such as bathing, dressing, and feeding. There is no nurse on duty pushing a med cart up and down hallways, but there are safety features in place that if Nana needed someone all she would have to do is push a button.

Nana is very excited about this new transition. She is way ahead of the rest of us. She has started packing up what she is going to take with her and making arrangements for the things she can’t. She is truly an inspiration for the younger generations by demonstrating that growing older does not always mean losing your independence and sense of purpose.

Advances in the medical field have provided ways for our seniors to grow old gracefully and with an enhanced quality of life. As a result, I am looking forward to many more Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas’s surrounded by my family, especially Nana.

For More Information:

http://www.lincolntribune.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1188