There are a lot of great reasons to own a home: You’re  part of a community; you have a place to call your own; it’s great for raising a family. But after decades of owning a home, friends and neighbors can move away or your home can need expensive updates to allow you to safely age in place. That’s when many older adults decide it’s time to consider senior living.

To help you make a more informed decision, this blog post will offer some things to think about, and suggest why looking into senior housing now could help you maintain your independent living lifestyle well into the future.

Thinking About Today and Tomorrow

If you’re active, why should you consider senior living? Consider that moving to a community with senior apartments is as much about today as it is the next 10 to 20 years.  Senior living can help increase your independence today and  give you more control over your future. Here are some things to consider:

Your current home:

• Do you enjoy taking care of your lawn and doing projects around the house?
• How much of your current living space do you actually use?
• How has your neighborhood changed?

Sure, you could remodel parts of your home, or get help from family members. But what if you could stay in the area you love, get help with maintenance and upkeep, and have a residence designed around your future needs?

Your social life:

• How easy is it for you to get out of the house?
• What do you think of traffic, parking, and finding your way around town?
• How easy is it for you to keep in contact with your friends and/or make new friends?

Being socially isolated can impact your overall happiness and well-being. A senior living community offers you a chance to surround yourself with independent-minded neighbors and participate in clubs, committees, and lifelong learning opportunities.

Your health and the health of your spouse:

• How is your health today and how do you think it will be in the future?
• How is the health of your spouse?
• (According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 70% of seniors over 65 will need some form of care, like assisted living.)
• If conditions  were to suddenly change for either one of you, what would you do? Who would make the decisions about your future care?

The Benefits of a Community Like Opus

• Social opportunities: As you age, it can be more difficult to find people who share your interests and life experiences. One of the benefits of a senior living community is their  monthly calendar full of social events, activities and clubs. Even if, as a couple, you and your spouse/partner have different interests, a senior living community will have options for everyone, with plenty of activity-filled days along with space for a little quiet time. Opus will be woven into active, vibrant neighborhoods where you can easily access nearby fitness, wellness, learning and cultural activities.
• Dining: An important part of living well is eating well. Our dining program will feature theme nights, restaurant pop-ups, potlucks, and meal delivery group dinners. We’ll even have a community space you can reserve to get together with your family and friends.
• Freedom: Another big benefit of senior living is the ability to lock your door and know that everything will be OK when you return. You can visit friends up the street or with family across the state without worrying about your residence.
• A practical plan: Seventy-nine percent of U.S. seniors are concerned about health care and other issues impacting their ability to live in their own homes. At Opus, if you ever need care, it will come to you. We’ll creatively leverage health care partnerships to support you in accessing affordable, high-quality care to lower the likelihood of ever needing to move.

The Risks of Waiting Too Long to Decide

If you think a senior living community is in your future, don’t wait to decide. The freedom and social opportunities a community offers are becoming attractive to more and more seniors.  Besides, it’s hard to know what will happen tomorrow, and a sudden health emergency could mean someone else will make the decision for you. Deciding now puts you in control of your lifestyle and your future.

Start Your Opus Today

An opus is a musical masterpiece that draws on every instrument in the orchestra. Like the wide range of people who live at a senior living community, the coming together of each individual creates an opus — a masterwork. Contact us to learn more.