Older adults and individuals with special needs still have the right to enjoy life, but health or age might sometimes be a limiting factor. However, with proper training and guidance, one can overcome most of these obstacles. Individuals with special needs, also appreciate when they can do things on their own, like take a shower, cook, and pay bills with little or no assistance from anyone. The same thing applies to the elderly people, it makes them happy, and fulfilled. So, how can they achieve their goals of becoming independent and still live happily?
What Is Independent Living?
Independent living is a special way of preparing people with disabilities or elderly men and women to live on their own, with little or no assistance from anyone. They are taught how to take care of themselves and live a normal life, even with their conditions. The right aids are usually selected to train and prepare individuals, on how to live on their own. These aids help them to do things easily, and they are also in their homes. By selecting the right living aids, people with limited mobility, arthritis, hand conditions, including other types of ailments that prevent them from performing their daily tasks can live on their own.
These services cover 3 main areas such as home health care, in-home support, as well as senior living communities. In most cases, they are performed by various nonprofit organizations, working towards a common goal, which is to see that people (elderly and those with disabilities) live happily alone. For senior citizens, independent living is also called “aging in place”. What this means is that they are allowed to live in their own apartment confidently, and in such cases, living aids, which makes aging in place a reality for these senior citizens, is also used.
What You Should Know About Center for Independent Living
One of the plausible ways to make people who have diverse disabilities to live happily and well is to provide innovative programs as well as services that will help them achieve their goals, and to create opportunities for them to take decisions and do things on their own. As the name implies, these centers, where people live independently, are controlled by private nonprofit agencies.
However, these centers provide the following services:
- Peer counseling
- Information and referrals
- Skill training – helps people live independently
- Helping youth with special abilities to handle post secondary life, after completing secondary education.
To Help people move from nursing homes, as well as other institutions to community-based residences.
However, these centers are scattered around different regions, with the sole aim of helping people with special needs. By providing train and one-on-one coaching opportunities, people with disabilities, and the elderly can live well.
Independent Living Communities
This community is created for active and healthy senior citizens, who have the capacity to live on their own. That means they can handle daily tasks by themselves. Such communities have age restrictions. They are usually created for people above 55 years and have basic amenities like gyms, security, housekeeping, and other similar services. They also offer services – such as laundry, transportation, social and cultural activities, and group meals.
In these communities, people can live in a home, condo, townhouse, or even a motor or mobile home. On the other hand, they can also rent an apartment or live as part of a cooperative. In fact, it’s like living in your own neighborhood, and the only difference is that there is an age restriction, as you can only see people about your age here.
Is Independent Living Right For Me?
It is difficult to know what would happen in the future, but right now, you are healthy and that’s what matters. However, you would like to stay close to your peers, because they will have more time for you than others who are younger. In addition, everyone likes security and being independent, but do not like being bothered with tasks like housekeeping and yard work. However, you can avoid all these chores by joining an independent living community
But before selecting a community, there are things you should look out for. Some people may not give these things a thought, but considering them can make your living more enjoyable and comfortable. You can make a list of things you can’t compromise, like home size, the location of the community, and nearness to your family. Just make a list, so you don’t regret after.
In addition, other ideas include:
The People in the community
You need to rely on your wisdom for this. First, pay a visit to the community to a get a feel of the people living there. You can chat with some of the staff and residents to know if they are really friendly or living independently. In fact, see if you share the same interests and hobbies with the residents.
Determine the size of the community, and check if it’s what you want. Do you like a small but quiet community or a community that is large and bustling? In addition, do you also like to stay in a small house that doesn’t have a yard? Does the house have extra rooms for guests? Is it pet-friendly? And what are the restrictions?
Things to do in the community
The people in these communities also know what fun means even though age will not allow them to participate in all. But there are fun activities and areas that should be provided for residents. You can find out if the community has a pool or a recreational center. And if you love reading in group check if there is a reading group. However, there are other groups you can join, such as knitting group, bridge group.
7 Reasons Elderly People like Communities for Seniors
Many elderly men and women prefer to move to senior communities due to one reason or the other. Some prefer life in a community than staying alone for these reasons.
Residents at a senior living community do not experience boredom because there are things everyone can engage in. Here, you will find all kinds of entertainment, as well as activities both on-site or in the local community. Residents are entertained by musicians and different performers. They can also engage in day trips, which might consist of local landmarks, or visiting a local art museum, or other historic sites in the area.
Absence of Stressful Home Maintenance & Hard work
You will agree with me that maintaining a home is hard, especially for people with certain health issues. These people cannot do hard jobs like mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, shoveling snow, or climbing a ladder to change electric bulbs. However, residents in a senior community do not need to bother about these chores.
Many senior citizens, who live alone, do not eat properly. Since they cannot prepare some of their favorite meals alone, they eat whatever they lay hands on. But at senior living communities, residents do not need to bother about shopping, preparing meals or even coffee. They just have to sit back and enjoy their favorite meals every week. In fact, it is common for a new resident’s health to improve, when he or she moves into this community. This is because they might not have been eating properly while staying alone.
Better Family Relationships
Elderly people usually depend on their children or close relations for different kinds of help. When they don’t get the attention they seek, it can cause a crack in the relationship between parents and their children. In addition, family members are freed from being full-time caregivers, when their older parents move to senior living communities. In fact, it ensures that time spent with these parents are more valuable. In addition, most parents do not enjoy watching their children parent them. So, they prefer moving to a senior community.
No More Stressful Driving
Driving is stressful, and as we age, it becomes more stressful. Our driving abilities also reduce as we age. Because of the stress, residents at senior living communities prefer the free transport offered in their communities. With this, they no longer rely on a car, but there are parking spaces for others to use.
Meeting and Making New Friends
Being isolated or staying alone is not healthy for older adults. But at senior communities, they get to make new friends, enjoy festive occasions, and share a meal with other people. In fact, most people who are introverted appreciate their privacy but are still happy when people come around them.
Security Is Guaranteed
Senior residents, rest well in these communities because they are secured from thieves and other form of disturbance. They also enjoy active emergency response system, which makes them more relaxed. In fact, it alleviates fears about becoming trapped on one spot for hours or falling, which is common among seniors living alone.
Independent Living Aids
Independent living aids are created to make Living independently more enjoyable and comfortable. They are made to suit people with special abilities and help them perform their daily tasks easily. In fact, without these aids, living without assistance would be very difficult, if not impossible. These aids make things like bathing, mobility, and housework much easier. However, they include:
For blind and visually impaired people
- Mobility aids
- Talking watches
- Talking cooking gadgets
- Smoke detectors
- Voice recognition software and more
There are also aids, for people with low hearing, diabetes, arthritis, macular degeneration, and disabilities. In fact, these aids are designed to help people with disabilities to rely on themselves, rather than seeking help from others.
Independent Living Facilities
Choosing a facility depends on your needs and unique situation, and with so many services in most of the facilities, you need to think about the most important now and even in the future. For instance, most people value exercise and would value a facility that has an area for exercise. It is not enough to assume, you have to visit the area to see things for yourself. The meal is also very important because good food is vital for healthy living. You can visit the local restaurants in the facility to sample a meal.
Independent Living Association
There are privately owned associations, offering to house people with mental illness as well as other disabling health conditions. They provide help for residents that do not require medication oversight and those who can live independently, and do things without supervision.
These associations are collaborative efforts, focused on providing help to people. They render help to residents and the entire community by simply promoting high-quality independent livings.
Independent Living For Seniors
Seniors can live independently with the right training and guidance. In fact, the benefits of seniors becoming independent will not only benefit them but their children and other family members. It will make younger people, not to become full-time caregivers, and concentrate on building their own future.
However, seniors can join communities made for elderly people, which are open to people above 55 years of age. They can decide if they want to be part of the community or if they would like to stay alone.
Why is Independent Living For Teens important?
For youths, especially those moving out of foster care, facing the adult world can be very challenging. They may not know how certain things are done, like finding or keeping a job, finding a suitable place to live, staying in school, prepare nutritious meals, manage finances, or handle an emergency. However, the good thing is that there are independent living programs for youths between certain ages. Some of these programs are meant for youths between 16 – 21 years in some states. During this program, youths are taught certain skills that will enable them to become independent and successful. The reason is that many of them lack basic skills due to instability when they were younger.
In each of the programs, participants are required to attend the meeting, at least once a month. They can also attend many classes if they want. However, these classes can include training on nutrition, housing, money management and even social skills, and job search skills. The skills also include college preparations.
However, foster youths, get the necessary exposure and training, they need to excel in life. They taught basic living skills in community activities, group classes, and individual meetings. In some training program, each youth may be assigned to an agent, to develop a personalized plan based on his or her interests, needs, as well as talent. The agent can also help the youth to identify and access programs, and resources that can help them become independent and successful adults.
Independent Living Skills
The Independent living skills are the basic skills you need, in order to live independent. The idea of teaching these skills is for people (elder and those with disabilities), to gain independence and live happily. However, there are organizations that specialize in teaching these skills, because they know how critical they are are to your daily life and independence. For example, for you to be independent in your own apartment, you should know how to clean, cook, manage finances and pay bills. To work, you must know how to manage time, dress properly and interact with co-workers. In addition, if you want to enjoy your social life, you must know how to access social activities and make new friends.
However, developing or learning these skills will make things easy for you. In fact, people with special abilities are also taught how to use some special equipment because of their unique conditions.
Benefits of Independent Living Skills to Special Students
Independent living skills are highly beneficial to special students because they have not lived alone before, especially in a busy school environment. Therefore, to make their transition to college successful, they need to learn some basic skills that can help them cope. However, some of these skills include, paying bills, managing money, or using an ATM. These students are also taught how to prepare their own meals and shop for groceries. They learn how to clean their apartment, and take public transportation. Students with learning disabilities or autism are just performing these tasks for the time, and doing so will make their transition much easier.
Independent Living Services
Independent living services may be offered to people who are not able to work, due to the effect of service-connected disabilities. They are offered to people who want to improve their independence at home and in the community. The service provided is based on the individual’s specific needs. In fact, a personalized plan is prepared to address those needs. However, those with employment goals may also receive these services, especially to achieve their vocabulary objective.
However, these services may include:
- Coordination of consultations with specialists
- Evaluation and counseling services
- Information on and referral to resources, such as health care services, community living support, special technology and equipment, family counseling and disability support.
Reviews on Independent living
I am 67 and loving life even more. I moved into this community and I have never regretted it. First, it’s not far from my neighborhood, so, my family, friends and former colleagues do come around most times. I also like the calmness of the place, in fact, it’s exactly my taste.
– Becky, FL
I was always afraid, thinking how difficult college and adult life would be. Now, I am out of college and I did well because I had the skills a foster youth should have. My instructors trained me well and guided me all through my journey. In fact, life wouldn’t have been so easy for a foster youth like me, if it wasn’t for those instructions and skills I acquired. I am so grateful and wish other kids well.
– Brian, NY
I retired and came to this +55years community, shortly after I left the service. I was hoping to live in a community, where I can make new friends, and live happily all the time and I also came with my beautiful wife too. They welcomed us well and I made friends from the first day. I am so happy, and I have never regretted coming here, and not a single day passes without me doing something that keeps me lively.
– Greg, CL
It has been a wonderful experience, seeing my mom doing things on her own. She can cook, and do some chores on her own, and she stays alone.
– Helen, Brooklyn
The retirement community is a home away from home. I am enjoying myself here, and so is my wife. We met some really good people here. In fact, we have some things in common. I engage in lots of activities every day and we eat together most times. My life has changed since I moved down here. And seeing my wife happy every day, even with her condition, makes me happy too.
– Bruce, 68, Georgia
One thing I enjoy here apart from the wonder people around is the delicious meals. I am eating well, compared to when I was living alone. This community is also filled with lovely people. I am happy and enjoying my retirement the way I have always wanted.
– Ben, Cleveland
I am enjoying the best time of my life now. I can cook and do things I couldn’t do before because of the trainings I had. Even with my disability, I can cook, pay my bills and go shopping like every other person would.
– Ruth, CL