Why Onsite Therapy Services are Important for Assisted Living Communities

Assisted living communities are designed for senior adults who are still able to live somewhat independently, but may need a little extra help with the activities of daily living. Assisted living facilities typically offer two main categories of assistance for their residents. These are:

• Assistance with activities of daily living (ADL), such as housekeeping, bathing and getting dressed.
• Assistance with the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), such as medication management, preparing meals, transportation, mobility, and eating and drinking.

Therapy plays an important role in helping address the challenges these residents may face, and a good assisted living community knows how to identify and categorize the specific levels of therapy and care an individual needs.

Onsite therapy helps address the needs of community residents

Transitioning from an independent life to one that requires assistance isn’t always easy for everyone. Talk therapy goes a long way in helping an individual deal with the stress of the transition by offering advice, suggestions, support and techniques for transitioning to a life that requires more help from others.

As residents in an assisted community continue to age, and their requirements change, onsite therapy is the best way to help them adjust to the changes as they arise. This could be in the form of occupational therapy for residents who need assistance with ADLs and IADLs. It may be speech therapy for those who are having trouble speaking as the result of a stroke, or an individual who is having trouble swallowing when eating or drinking. It could be physical therapy for an individual who is having balance or mobility issues. An onsite licensed therapist is able to identify, measure, and quantify these changes as they occur.

Therapy can benefit those experiencing a decline in health.

It can often be the case that residents in an assisted living facility face a decline in health. Members of the community care staff are often the first to notice when the health of a resident seems to be declining, but they may not always become aware immediately as these changes occur. A licensed therapist has the training and experience to recognize the signs of health decline, and can teach staff members how to recognize any decline in physical function and cognition. The therapist provides the care staff and family members of the individual with the proper tools to proactively address health decline in order to maintain and/or regain optimal health.

Therapy promotes wellness.

Therapy is more than just help for the sick or debilitated – it is good for the wellness of the entire assisted living community. It is estimated that out of the almost 1 million residents currently residing in an assisted living community, 81% require at least some form of therapy to complete one daily task. Having the majority of the community in need of help with at least one task, it becomes the job of the therapists to offer solutions for better wellness that benefits all residents.

Onsite therapy increases the wellbeing of residents and promotes a community that is focused on being a healthy, viable option for those who may be considering assisted living in the future.

Conclusion

Assisted living communities are a very popular choice among the aging population because they not only offer assistance with the activities of daily living, but also because their social, emotional, mental, and physical needs are being met as well. Therapy – whether it is occupational, speech, physical, or Talk Therapy – works to meet the needs of residents as they adapt to a new way of life.

Jurney’s Assisted Living offers a discerning residential environment for those who, for whatever reason, should not live alone, but do not require skilled nursing care. Here, residents can live as independently as they wish, with the calm assurance that help is always available, should they require assistance with their activities of daily living. Residents may range from being very independent to being physically and/or memory challenged. Contact us today to learn more.