By 2030, it’s estimated that 1.7 million of Maryland’s population will be over the age of 60.
A larger senior population highlights the need for quality senior housing options all over the state. If you’ve noticed a loved one struggling to keep up with the fast-paced world or dealing with increasing health problems, these communities are the best way to maximize their quality of life.
Only if you find the right one, however. In today’s post, we’ll tell you how to find the best senior housing in Salisbury, MD. Senior living communities can drastically change residents’ lives for the better, so keep reading and find one that suits your loved one’s needs, budget, and interests.
Determine the Level of Care They Need
Start your search for retirement homes in Salisbury by determining what level of care your loved one needs. Not all of these communities offer the same services, so finding the right community will depend on your ability to match their unique needs with a community’s offerings.
Independent Living
Independent living communities provide healthy seniors a space to downsize their lifestyles. They’ll be surrounded by their peers while having housekeeping and maintenance taken care of for them. They’ll also have access to a range of activities and amenities to boost their social lives and fitness levels.
Assisted Living
Assisted living is meant for seniors who have some health issues that prevent them from living independently. These communities provide 24/7 staff who create tailored care plans to accommodate each resident.
Memory Care
Those who deal with Alzheimer’s and dementia – 127,000 Marylanders suffer from cognitive decline – will need memory care. This involves highly trained staff who are equipped to take on the unique challenges Alzheimer’s presents for seniors and their loved ones.
Look at Reviews
Once you’ve chosen a particular type of care, you can start searching for nearby communities. Type, “Salisbury senior apartments” into Google, and all of your options will be laid out. From here, the best thing to do is look at ratings and reviews.
What loved ones of current/former residents have to say about a community can inform your decision in numerous ways. When there are notable red flags about the quality of care or the state of the community, you can eliminate these communities from contention.
Choose a Location
The next step in whittling down your selection is to choose the ideal location for your loved one. Community location matters for many reasons, but the most important is navigating the transition into senior care.
This will likely be an overwhelming change for your loved one. The closer a community is to friends and family, the more frequently your loved one will have visitors. This can make the transition much easier, especially in those first few weeks/months.
Assess Accommodations
Moving from a home into a smaller apartment is a big part of this transition. You’ll need to assess the accommodations on offer from the top communities to figure out what will work best for your loved one.
Lakeside at Mallard Landing, for example, offers numerous floor plans to choose from depending on the type of care your loved ones getting. We offer suites, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom options to accommodate their needs and financial restrictions. All of the rooms come with fantastic amenities to make your loved one safe and comfortable.
Prioritize Amenities
In addition to in-suite amenities, you need to look at the community-wide amenities on offer. A community’s amenities have a direct effect on residents’ quality of life. In many cases, the amenities will play a big role in your loved one’s final decision.
We pride ourselves on giving residents everything they could ever need. We’ve got numerous common areas and game rooms, private dining areas, and lush outdoor gardens for residents to explore. For anything your loved one needs outside the community, there are scheduled day trips that allow residents to make outings as needed.
Activities, Health, and Wellness
Activity programming is another important factor in senior living. Good communities will offer a wide range of activities to keep residents active and social every day.
A healthy lifestyle is the key to longevity, so we ensure our seniors have every opportunity to take part in fitness classes, walking clubs, and leisure sports. These things are also great for boosting social interactions between residents.
One of the biggest benefits of senior living is the ability for residents to socialize with their peers. This decreases feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety which are all too prevalent among senior populations.
Senior Nutrition
When touring independent living in Salisbury MD, make sure to look at the dining menus at each community. Seniors need to maintain a healthy diet to maintain their overall health. Poor diet is linked to various health issues in seniors, especially diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even some cancers.
Our Sensations dining program offers an ever-changing menu of tasty and healthy meals. Your loved one will never have to cook for themself, but they’ll be able to with their fully-stocked in-suite kitchen.
Health and Safety
The last things we’ll discuss here are the safety and security measures in communities. Safety is so important for senior communities, as the slightest fall can have very serious consequences for older adults. Make sure that the community has taken every precaution when it comes to the safety of residents.
Community security is imperative as well, especially for those in memory care. Those with Alzheimer’s are prone to wandering, which can put them at risk of mental anguish, in addition to real danger.
Get the Best Senior Housing in Salisbury MD
Use this article as a guide to finding the best senior housing in Salisbury MD. It can be overwhelming to see all of the communities available for your loved one. If you know what they need, then you’ll know what to look for.
Lakeside at Mallard Garden has long been a top senior living community in Maryland. We’re unique in that we offer independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. No matter what your loved one needs, we can help them, so contact us today to schedule your tour.