If you’re a senior who is about to move into a senior living community, you will have to
adjust to a new way of life. It may not be what you’re used to, but change can be good.
Senior living facilities are focused on seniors and their well-being. Bel Aire Senior Living
invites you to learn more about how you can keep yourself safe, healthy, and happy in your
new environment.
Safety in Facilities
Senior living facilities are focused on taking care of seniors. And since seniors have always
been at higher risk for infection and protocols in retirement communities, senior living
facilities are managed accordingly. Some of the safety provided at senior living facilities
and the regulations that they must follow are provided here:
● ADA Compliant: senior living facilities are often safer than aging in place because
they are required to be ADA compliant and provide accessibility options for all
residents. They also have emergency systems in place, along with theft protection.
● Sanitized and Cleaned: most facilities put more stringent cleaning and sanitation
practices into place during COVID-19, and many are choosing to keep these
protocols in place for overall safety. Regardless, they are required to follow the
regulations of the CDC.
● Safety Protocols: although you cannot entirely prevent falls and injuries, assisted
living facilities are well-equipped to address the most common safety concerns. And,
unlike aging in place, in a community there will always be someone who notices a
fall or if a resident is missing.
Maintaining Your Health
Seniors are a little more vulnerable to falls and infections. So maintaining one’s health
becomes even more important as we age. A senior’s physical and mental health can be
maintained by practicing good hygiene, doing some exercises, and practicing some stress-
reducing habits.
● Cleanliness for Mental Health: it can be difficult for seniors to keep their homes as
clean as they need to for overall health and to prevent illness, but senior living
communities have teams of people employed for this purpose. Cleaning isn’t just
about aesthetics (although clutter can affect mental health as well); it’s about
preventing infection and reducing illnesses.
● Exercise for Physical and Mental Wellness: it is important to include fitness into
your day-to-day life to build strength and manage health issues, like diabetes and
high cholesterol. There are community groups and online fitness programs geared
towards seniors, but senior living communities generally offer a variety of classes to
get you up and moving.
● Balanced Diet for Strength and Well-Being: Eating healthy is also important in
giving you more strength and to manage your health. Some senior living
communities have kitchenettes in their residents’ living spaces, but the best part is
that they have full time chefs to cook for their residents. You don’t have to worry
about grocery shopping, cooking, or making the right food choices because they do it
all for you!
● Mindfulness Practices for Health and Balance: Seasons suggests considering
integrating mindfulness into your daily routine. It has been shown to lower blood
pressure, decrease anxiety, and increase sleep quality. Many facilities also offer yoga
classes to help you integrate stretching into your meditation.
Being Happy
Being safe and maintaining one’s health are both beneficial to a senior’s happiness. Safety
brings peace of mind, and being healthy gives a sense of wellbeing. When a senior is
healthy both physically and mentally, they get to focus on their happiness. Happiness can
mean different things to different people, but these resources will help you find yours.
● Be Social: a survey shows that 52% of seniors say that friends and family bring
them happiness. If you’re afraid that moving to a new community will cost you
family time, you might be surprised. Many residences have embraced technology,
including video calls with doctors and family. And the community living can greatly
decrease feelings of isolation as you develop new friendships.
● Be Adventurous: being able to experience new things brings happiness to others.
Your new community can help with this, too. These residences often offer classes on
subjects both familiar and new that you can choose to try out with little risk.
● Be Entrepreneurial: starting a new business in your retirement years is a
wonderful way to both explore a passion and generate an extra stream of income.
Consider establishing an LLC that lets you do something in consulting, tutoring, art,
or writing (to name a few options).
● Be You: there are many other ways that people find happiness. You just need to find
the things that strike the right chords for you. No matter what your age, find your
happy.
Embrace Your New Life
There will no doubt be many changes and adjustments in your transition to senior living,
but there are personal and professional ways to overcome these bumps. You can find
resources to guide you through selling your home, paying for your retirement living, and
even tech support to keep you connected with loved ones.
Senior living may take some adjusting to, but the benefits that could be gained may be
worth it. Be safe, be healthy, and be happy in your new life. Treat this adventure as an
opportunity to keep growing, with new friends and family.
Are you looking for the right senior care community for yourself or someone you love?
Visit Bel Aire Senior Living. We offer assisted living, Alzheimer’s care, and respite care
to Utah residents.
Guest Author: Sharon Wagner of Senior Friendly
