11/24/2021

Why Now is a Good Time to Move Into an Assisted Living Community

We know that making a decision to move into an assisted living community is a difficult one. Whether you’re looking for yourself or a loved one, the transition is hard to navigate in normal times, let alone coming off the tail-end of a worldwide pandemic…

Older adults were among the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fear and isolation had a major impact on quality of life over the past two years and many seniors may want to take a moment to reevaluate their living situation. Here at Light of Hearts Villa, we had zero positive COVID-19 cases among our residents due to extreme safety measures put in place right at the on-set and consistency throughout the pandemic months. 

During the last year, many people wondered if senior living communities were safe during COVID-19. In fact, preliminary research from the University of Chicago shows that older adults who lived on their own outside of a senior living community were almost twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than independent living residents of a continuing care retirement community. 

With that settled, now the questions have shifted more to how an assisted living community can support your entire well-being - physical, social, emotional, and spiritual. Senior living communities have spent the last year adapting, innovating, and engaging with residents. Those that do it best are, more than ever, some of the safest and most fulfilling places for an older adult to live. That’s why we believe now may be the smartest time to make the move.

For older adults, moving to a senior living community can be helpful in maintaining and developing new social relationships and interests, pursuing hobbies, accessing on-site services and supports, and remaining active. Senior living communities are a place to grow, not just a place to live.

Here are five benefits of an assisted living community in a post-COVID-19 world, and what you can look for if you’re thinking of a move:

Necessities handled for you. 

Think about what it’s like to maintain a home, especially during the winter. Assisted living communities offer some home maintenance (appliance repair, back-up power, etc.) and a built-in 24/7 support system of dedicated on-site employees like IT support, housekeeping, laundry services and security. With our executive chef on staff, you’ll also enjoy three delicious meals each day that you do not have to worry about preparing yourself. The staff is there for your specific needs, reducing your need to rely on adult children or other family members.

Wellness and health care services on-site. 

At Light of Hearts Villa, your health care needs are handled here such as medication management, prescription refills, daily wellness checks and even specialty services like physical therapy. Having health care and wellness services fully integrated into the living community, with staff who take a whole-person approach to care, provides an extra layer of reassurance and convenience.

Personal growth and fulfillment.

The best assisted living communities are vibrant places full of options for you to build a meaningful life. They offer diverse programming, life-long learning, and the opportunity to build new relationships. At Light of Hearts Villa, we believe that the later years in life can be among the most fulfilling, and our community offers ample opportunity for you to live according to your wishes and values. You do not have to be Catholic or faith-based to live here at the Villa, but we do offer daily Rosary, Bible study and Mass three times a week in our beautiful on-site chapel.

Peace of mind. 

During uncertain times, it can be reassuring to know that you’re living in a community where an entire team is looking out for your best interests. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our residents expressed gratitude and relief to be living in our community. They had easy access to COVID-19 testing, were among the first people vaccinated in Ohio, and found comfort in knowing that policies were being set based in part on guidance from Light of Hearts Villa’s hospital-level infection control department with the Sisters of Charity Health System.

Today, with all residents and nearly all staff vaccinated, life in our Light of Hearts Villa community looks a lot like it did before the pandemic. Residents feel good knowing that the management team is closely monitoring the newest developments related to the Delta variant and is ready to quickly respond to whatever the pandemic might bring, with policies that balance safety with quality of life. With all these details taken care of, our residents can focus their energy on the people and activities that matter most to them.

Financial stability. 

Once you’re a resident of a community, there’s no need to worry any longer about the costs of home maintenance or what the value of it will be when you want to sell. In the Greater Cleveland area, the current real estate market is very strong for sellers, and the future of the market may be hard to predict.

Paying for assisted living may seem like an obstacle and cause you to wonder, “Can I afford this?”

If you compare your current monthly spending to the price of assisted living, you may be surprised to find that it’s a lot closer than you’d realize.

When you live at home, you make separate payments for expenses like the mortgage, groceries, utilities, property taxes, healthcare, entertainment and travel. But, what if you were to bundle all of those monthly expenses up into one bill. Many of the expenses you pay now would be included in the cost of senior living. Not only does it make it easier to afford, but think about all the extra time you won’t have to spend paying bills.

Are you ready to explore the possibility of living at Light of Hearts Villa? Reach out to our Admissions Department at 440-232-1991 ext. 520 or Kieran.patton@lightofheartsvilla.org.

Light of Hearts Villa is a 501(c)3 Licensed Residential Care Facility that is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity Health System which includes one acute care Catholic hospital, two skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, three grant-making foundations, and six health and human services organizations in Ohio and South Carolina.