8 Great Tips for Independent Living

The population is growing fast and this, combined with our highly advanced medical care that extends life expectancy, means that there will be more seniors in the future. Today, people who reach age 65 will live another 18.5 years, while in 1960 is was only four years longer. From 2006 to 2008, almost 75% of people aged 65 and older reported being in good to excellent health. Independent living for seniors has gained popularity in recent years because there are so many more people who need this care.

Independent living programs are designed for active and healthy seniors who are able to live on their own. You can live in a home, condo, townhouse, apartment complex, motor home or mobile home. The options for independent living for seniors are numerous, and anyone will be able to find great senior living facilities if they look around. For anyone who is considering moving into one of these locations, here are some great senior living tips that will be helpful when you are looking for a place.

1. Keep a current medical record at home
This is important because if there is an emergency you will want all of the important information there. This includes a complete medical history and you should have your doctor review it to ensure you didn’t leave anything out.

2. Make a list of all your medications
Similarly to having a complete medical record, you also want a list of medications for an emergency. It’s also helpful to simply have a full list to just help you remember what to take each day. For some people they find it helpful to have a checklist, especially if they are on a lot of medications that need to be taken at different times.

3. Keep a list of all doctors’ phone numbers and contact information
In the event that you need to contact a doctor, it can be hard and time consuming to look up all of their contact information. You should keep a comprehensive list of all doctors and specialists you are currently seeing, so if you need to get in touch with any of them you are able to quickly find out their contact information. If you can’t access all the important info, ask a loved one to help you make a list of phone numbers and addresses.

4. Stay in touch with family
You should make sure to talk to someone from your family every day so they can stay in the loop about how you are doing. It’s also nice to hear updates about how people are doing, so make sure you talk to members of your family as often as you can.

5. Get to know the staff
You will want to sit down with some of the staff before you move in to make sure you all get along. Ask other people what they think of the staff as well.

6. Find out about pricing
Find out how much it costs and if you can afford it.

7. Stay involved in social activities
Facilities that have independent living for seniors offer a lot of awesome activities for people to get involved. Find out when they are and make sure you attend.

8. Ask about the quality of food (and taste some, too!)
Ask for a complementary meal before you decide to move anywhere. This allows you to taste the food. Read this for more.