Assisted Living Directory Blog

I was at the gym today trying to get a workout in (escaping the almost 100 degree heat) and I was noticing that a lot of people were on the cranky side. This probably due to how hot it was, but it was definitely a lot more noticeable today (the crankiness).

I then started thinking to myself at what age, or age range are people generally the nicest? My wife and I had this discussion once, and we both agree it is folks older than 60 who are the most pleasant. While I was at the gym, our local “Silver Sneakers” group was there working out. Almost without exception, every one of them will look up and say hello if you are on a machine next to them. Their heads are held high, and almost always these nice folks have a big fat smile on their faces. Many of these seniors are battling health problems, but they are still really pleasant and nice to be around.

On the flip-side, my wife and I both agreed that the 20-somethings are the least pleasant, or nice. This is a very general statement, of course, and there are certainly always exceptions to this, but we have both noticed that this group rarely says “please” or “thank you” and rarely holds the door open for you, or smiles. My wife and I both remember being in our 20′s and we remember that it was a very stressful, and uncomfortable time. Most 20-somethings have recently been thrust into the professional or working world, and have cut the tether from their parents. Many of these young folks are also starting families, and I would imagine they are also financially vulnerable. I guess they have an excuse to be more self-absorbed.

Seniors seem to have the attitude of “I’ve gotten past all of that, and I’m still here, so why not make the best of it?” Many of the seniors I see seem to be re-learning how to enjoy life, and to slow down a bit. I have taken many cues from people older than me lately, and by slowing myself down and appreciating the moment, I seem to be smiling a little more lately.

Almost daily now I see news articles about assisted living facilities being shut down or losing their license. Just today Florida regulators have shut down an assisted living facility that allegedly failed to report injuries and or notice a missing resident (this out of Ormond Beach, Florida). This facility had been penalized before, but failed to take care of it’s residents safely.

This is always disturbing to read not only because of the horrors that happen at some assisted living facilities on a daily basis, but also in terms of the trauma caused to the residents when they are told that they have to move. Try telling this to someone suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Many states still don’t have strong regulations when it comes to assisted living facilities. This is very unfortunate, as this industry is growing at an almost uncontrollable rate.

I was pleased to read about the Pennsylvania Assisted Living Consumer Alliance which is “A new organization of consumers, family members and advocates for the elderly and persons with disabilities is pushing for quality standards in Pennsylvania state regulations covering assisted living facilities.”

I hope more states follow suit with organizations such as this. Assisted living handles the elderly, the frail, and the weak. There is little room for mistakes or safety violations, and plenty of room for improvement in standards in many cases.

Assisted-Living-Directory.com is committed to quality and safety. The facilities and services listed on our site should have a track record of safety, quality, and adherence to the law.
There is no way for us to monitor every facility or senior care service on our site, so if any of our users know of any ‘red flags’ or safety issues with any facility or service on our site, we will investigate and remove it from our directory. Just contact us with your information and we will promptly look into it.

I had someone writing me asking me for ideas for their facility’s activities calendar. Although I am not an administrator, or an activities coordinator, I would like to offer some ideas of things that you could put on your activities roster. I found a few calendars from various facilities online, and have included some of those ideas in here as well:
* Book and Coffee Club – Reading is one of the things people can do even though they might have a physical limitation, and discussing a book over coffee is a great way to have subject matter for a conversation!
* Worship Services – These don’t have to just fall on Sunday. You can do a worship service any day of the week, and it is another good excuse to get residents together.
* Movie Night – Who doesn’t like a good movie? A great way to save money is to have a Netflix account, and you could have each resident add to the queue of movies to be watched!
* How about manicures and pedicures? I think even the men in the facility might enjoy this!
* Exercise Classes – There are so many different types of exercise classes and programs that you could offer to your residents. Even those confined to a wheelchair could do plenty of exercises from their chair. “Chairrobics” is a term I saw on one calendar.
* How about a wine tasting and seminar?
* Bingo is a good standby!
* Computer courses or classes are a great activity as many of our seniors are becoming computer saavy, or are wanting to. Most assisted living facilities have internet or wireless capability, and knowing how to use a computer will help your residents stay connected to friends and family.

These are just a few ideas. I hope that anyone with ideas for an activity calendar not mentioned here will add a comment!

The days of the old stereotype of assisted living and nursing homes seems to be coming to a close. With the “hip” baby boomers of the 60′s reaching retirement age, I think we are on the verge of seeing many new flavors and varieties of assisted living – some that almost call up images of a party-like atmosphere. I have written a bit about assisted living for alternative lifestyles, but not until today had I ever considered assisted living in the buff. I am not sure the visual on this is really a good one, but, to each their own.
An article out of the St. Petersburg Times in Florida reported last week that Nudists are considering creating an assisted living facility for those who don’t like to wear a whole lot. “What’s going to happen to me and my friends when we have to have heart surgery or a hip replacement?” wondered April Genter, a 46-year-old nudist real-estate agent whose primary customer base is others who share her lifestyle.”
I applaud this idea, and I think the whole idea and appeal of assisted living will gain more acceptance if we can cater to everyone – regardless of hobby, orientation, religion, or anything else. It will be very interesting to see what other types of facilities and concepts come up in the next few years.
You can read the full article from the St. Petersburg Times here