The elderly population – those who are at or over the age of 65 – is on the rise not just here in the United States but all throughout the world as a whole. After all, the baby boomer generation is a particularly large on and many members of this generation have reached or are quickly approaching their elderly years. The data that has been gathered on the subject more than backs this up, as it shows that the population of those who are over the age of 85 will have reached more than 14 million people by the year of 2040 – and that’s just within the United States alone, let alone throughout the rest of the year.
Many of these people are planning to stay in their current homes for as long as they are able, avoiding even the top retirement facilities for as long as it is possible. However, there are a number of risks that elderly people face when it comes to living alone. Falls are one such risk, and a new elderly person is seen for fall related injuries in emergency rooms all throughout the country for every 11 second span of time that passes. For some lucky people, the injuries sustained in a fall will be relatively minor. For many other elderly people, however, the the injuries will end up being debilitating and can even escalate to various life threatening complications.
A number of things can be put into place to prevent such falls and other such injuries common among the elderly community. For one thing, basic home remodeling projects can go a long way, longer than many people realize. The installation of hand rails, emergency assistance devices, and shower seats can save lives and can allow many in the elderly population to live independently for longer. However, the inevitable fact of the matter is that many elderly people will ultimately need some level of long term care. In fact, the data shows that up to 70% of all elderly people will need long term care at some point in their later years – though only around 40% of all elderly people and people quickly approaching their elderly years actually believe that this will be the case.
Fortunately, places like the top retirement facilities can provide both this care and a high quality of living, as top retirement facilities are actually built to be communities as much as places where elderly people can receive care. Retirement centers have, after all, become hugely popular and now boast more than one million residents in various retirement communities all throughout the country. As the top retirement facilities typically only allow people at or above the age of 55 to live within them, the community that these top retirement facilities create is one that is very welcoming to the elderly, something that is unfortunately not always seen in other aspects of the world.
For many people, moving to one of the top retirement facilities is largely positive, especially when they see how much independence they are still able to have. But in addition to promoting independence, the top retirement facilities can also support a growing sense of community among like minded and similarly aged people. Many elderly people join volunteer efforts, clubs, and even dating sites once moving to one of the top retirement facilities in the country. Though there can be a lot of fear surrounding such a move, it almost ends up being a positive experience for the person in question, allowing them to get the care and support system that they need while still allowing them to live out a full and independent life even deep into their twilight years. At the end of the day, moving to one of the top retirement facilities is likely to be hugely beneficial to everyone who is need of more long term care – or who will be in the near future.
Moving is hard and change is even harder, especially for many elderly people who have become so accustomed to life as they know it. But the top retirement centers can provide a sense of belonging and comfort than many people did not even realize was possible for such places.