According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), most older U.S. adults have at least one chronic health condition. Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and mobility problems are just a few of the most common. All require specialized senior healthcare services.
If you or an older loved one in Salisbury, MD, also battles with one or more chronic health woes, you’ll be happy to know that compassionate elderly care options are available through senior living communities. Opting for these senior living solutions allows you to enjoy tailored personal care and supportive services for optimal geriatric healthcare.
Join our team at Lakeside at Mallard Landing as we explore personalized senior services and share tips for navigating them.
Senior Healthcare Services Many Older Adults Need
Many healthcare needs that older adults require assistance with involve their activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs are activities people perform to meet their personal care needs and impact their overall health.
Per the American Psychological Association (APA), about one in five older adults between 65 and 74 need help with ADLs. The same goes for 40% of men and half of women 85 and older.
Here are some examples of ADLs that seniors often need a helping hand with.
Showering and Bathing Assistance
Showering or bathing doesn’t necessarily need to be a daily activity. However, everyone must do it at least every other day or two to maintain good personal hygiene. Otherwise, health conditions like the following may develop:
- Dermatitis neglecta
- Body odor
- Infections
Unfortunately, older adults, especially those with mobility issues, may find taking baths or showers challenging. For instance, they may have difficulty getting to and from the bathroom.
The good news is that Lakeside at Mallard Landing, our assisted living community in Salisbury, MD, can help. Our community has a 24/7 team of compassionate personal care providers ready to assist our elderly residents with personal hygiene and care needs whenever needed.
Medication Management
Medication management is a set of strategies for taking medications safely and correctly. It’s especially crucial for older adults whose declining health may require them to take many medicines. According to HopkinsMedicine.org, about a third of older adults in their 60s and 70s take at least five prescription drugs regularly!
The problem is that the more medicines a person must take, the more likely they can commit mistakes, such as:
- Forgetting to take the correct medicine at the right time
- Mixing up medications and taking the incorrect one
- Taking another dose after forgetting they’ve already taken one
At Lakeside at Mallard Landing, our personal care staff helps residents manage medications. We do so by:
- Reminding them to take their medicines on time
- Ensuring they take the correct prescriptions
- Helping administer medications if needed
Continence Care
Continence is a person’s ability to control and manage their bladder and bowel functions. Aging can impair this, causing issues like:
- An increased need to empty the bladder or the bowel
- A reduced ability to hold “it” in
- Leakages
Mobility restrictions can compound those problems. For instance, older adults may struggle to get to the toilet on time.
Older adults requiring continence care and toileting assistance can rely on our assisted living community’s long-term care and support services. Our compassionate and understanding personal care team can help with these ADLs while letting you or your loved one maintain dignity.
Navigating Senior Living Options Based on Healthcare Needs
Several types of senior communities in Salisbury, MD, cater to older adults’ specific living needs, including:
- Independent living communities
- Assisted living communities
- Memory care communities
Independent Living
As their name suggests, independent living communities are ideal for seniors who:
- Are otherwise in good health
- Wish to stay socially and physically active
- Want maintenance-free lifestyle
In such communities, residents can access amenities that make their lives more convenient, such as:
- Professional housekeeping and home maintenance
- Chef-prepared meals
- On-site salons, barbershops, clubhouses, etc.
- Round-the-clock team support
However, independent living communities often don’t provide personal senior care and supportive health services, as their residents are active and independent.
Our senior living community in Salisbury, MD, Lakeside at Mallard Landing, has an independent living campus. Since we offer it alongside other elderly care and living options, our active, independent seniors can rest easy knowing they can quickly and easily transition to a higher level of community care if needed.
Assisted Living
If you or an older loved one needs help with personal care, look no further than assisted living. Assisted living allows you to get senior healthcare support for ADLs like bathing, medication management, and continence care.
At Lakeside at Mallard Landing, our 24/7 team is available whenever you or your older loved one needs help. Our emergency call system also offers more peace of mind.
In addition to tailored personal care, our senior living community provides many other amenities and services, including but not limited to:
- Daily chef-prepared meals
- A robust calendar of daily social, recreational, and physical activities
- Health and wellness programs
- On-site beauty salon and barbershop for personal grooming
- Housekeeping, home maintenance, and linen service
Memory Care
If you have an older loved one with memory-related problems, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, a memory care community is one of your best senior living options. In these communities, a team of care providers professionally trained in such conditions attends to their residents’ unique needs.
Lakeside At Mallard Landing is proud to offer SHINE® Memory Care, a program designed to give residents with memory-related problems the care and respect they deserve. We also take pride in the fact that this program has earned a National Certificate of Recognition from the Alzheimer’s Association. Only a tiny, elite group of memory care providers throughout the U.S. has achieved this certification/recognition.
Ready to Explore Senior Care Services?
If you or an older loved one needs senior healthcare services like personalized care and support for ADLs, our senior living community in Salisbury, MD, Lakeside at Mallard Landing, will be happy to provide them. From bathing/showering assistance to medication management and continence care, our 24/7 personal care team can provide all these and more.
So, why not schedule your tour with us today? We look forward to showing you our community and explaining the difference we make in the lives of our older residents!
