Senior Living

Exploring Senior Living

Opting for continuing care is paramount to achieving a prosperous journey through retirement and beyond.

Prepping for retirement means focusing on continuing care, as well as socialization, fitness and finding the right community. Photo courtesy Covenant Living at Inverness

Planning Ahead: Continuing Care

Arranging for retirement – and, more importantly, how you want to spend the latter years of your life – can be daunting, but decisions you make today can o er security in the future. It’s one of the reasons why senior living communities continue to grow in popularity. Many are designed to provide residents with the amenities for a full and active lifestyle, but if one’s health status should change, services are already in place to meet growing medical needs.

“A continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also known as a life plan community, is designed to relieve stress for residents and their families,” says Cari Bashaw, director of sales with Covenant Living at Inverness, one of the nation’s largest not-for-pro t retirement housing organizations with locations throughout the U.S., including Tulsa and Bixby. “By having priority access to di erent levels of care – independent living to start and then options for assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, long-term care and rehabilitation services – residents and their families have peace of mind knowing that a health plan is in place, should they ever need those future services.”

And odds are that you might nd yourself needing medical care. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, someone turning age 65 today has nearly a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services. is type of planning can be especially helpful for adult children who live out of state, says Bashaw.

“A continuing care retirement center provides a roadmap to know their parents will be well cared for, transitioning as needed in the same community,” she says. “ e worst time to develop a plan is under duress of a medical emergency; knowing their folks have a plan for their future is the best gift you can give your adult children.”

Social Engagement

Another clear bene t of senior living communities is the regular convenience of social engagement.

“Studies clearly show that the greatest threat to the health and wellness of seniors is lack of socialization,” says Bashaw. “ ere are many situations that a ect an individual’s social opportunities – weather, transportation, friends who move closer to family or for other reasons are no longer available, to name a few. None of these situations change the lifestyle of a resident in a community like Covenant Living at Inverness. e lifestyle at this community is dependent only on the interests of the residents and how busy they want to be.”

Fitness and Enrichment

Senior living communities can also help support residents in keeping and maintaining their health through nutrition and physical tness.

Bashaw says too often, seniors, especially single ones, slip into unhealthy habits of eating frozen dinners and nutrient-lacking snack foods, neither of which are optimal for maintaining healthy minds and bodies.

“Nutrition is the fuel that keeps our bodies moving forward,” says Bashaw. “Senior living communities o er easy access to on-campus dining venues with a wide variety of healthy foods where residents enjoy the company of friends, which encourages better eating habits.”

With accessibility being paramount, she says having an onsite gym means residents are more likely to exercise. Full-time tness professionals are on sta to provide support and guidance, along with facilities o ering an indoor pool, group tness classes, weights and exercise machines.

In addition, senior living communities may provide a variety of activities such as gardening, painting or dancing, as well as o site trips, like visiting an art gallery, attending a concert or taking in a sporting event.

Bashaw says residents feel a huge sense of relief after moving to a continuing care retirement community.

“ ey know they have removed the burden from their children of making decisions or providing care,” she says. “And just as important, they have made their plan for a stress-free, active and healthier lifestyle.”

Choosing the Right Community

When mapping out postretirement life, experts say that fitness and wellness activities, from field trips to gardening and scrapbooking, can often make all the diff erence. Photos courtesy Covenant Living at Inverness

In the coming years, more Americans may nd themselves seeking out senior living communities. Since 2010, approximately 10,000 Baby Boomers – individuals born from 1946 to 1964 – have reached retirement age each day, and by 2030, all Boomers will be at least 65 years old, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

To help nd the right place for you, Bashaw says to visit several communities and nd the one that feels like home.

“Schedule a tour to visit,” she says. “Is it well maintained? Tour apartments and cottages to see what size and layout meets your needs. If you love your morning co ee on your back porch, does your new home have a place for that? If you have a dog, is there an extra charge to bring your furry family member?

“Ask to meet current residents. Are they warm people you feel drawn toward, who share a similar background or interests? And most importantly, don’t hesitate to ask right up front about how the nances work to move into a continuing care retirement community. You’ll never know if it is a good nancial t if you don’t fully explore the options.” REBECCA FAST