For many folks, making the move to a senior living center is the American dream — downsizing life and making things more simple so you can relax and enjoy more leisure time while leaving the chores and responsibility to staff on hand. For others, however, moving to a retirement community is shrouded in a stigma of sacrificing independence. At Pine Hills Retirement Community, we have heard the arguments on both ends of the spectrum and are fully confident that our resort-style living is nothing short of the dream! Join us in today’s post as we discuss just nine of the many reasons that making the move to a senior living community can help you get the most out of your retirement.
At Pine Hills Retirement Community in Hot Springs, South Dakota, we know that we are fortunate to live in such a serene area that makes us the ultimate destination for retirement goals. We use the local beauty to our advantage and have built a resort-style retirement community among the views and trails. We offer all the amenities our residents would expect and can suit nearly every accommodation. Whether you are looking for the freedom of independent living with the luxury of leaving the heavy lifting and chores to someone else, you require full-time personal care, or you fall on the spectrum somewhere in between, we can help! Back to the matter at hand…
9. Thriving social life.
If there is one thing our jobs and responsibilities offer us, it is a social life. Many retirees suddenly feel the impact of retirement and notice it in the form of social isolation. When you spend 40+ hours a week interacting with folks to suddenly having more free time that you know what to do with, it can seem lonely. Retirement communities offer a variety of opportunities for social engagement and your neighbors are in the same situation as you. When you make the move to a retirement community, your social life has limitless potential. Make new friends, start new relationships, and foster a network of support in a comfortable community.
8. Feel safe.
A common complaint among the elderly and their loved ones is the decline in personal security and sense of safety some feel once they retire. Safety and security have different meanings for different people, but one thing is true, the elderly are at an increased risk for financial crimes and at a disproportionate risk for falling victim to accidents within the home. There is no reason to ever feel unsafe, and if you have ever felt uneasy living alone at home, it may be time to make the move to a retirement community. At your retirement community, you can rest easy knowing that there is always someone around that you can ask for help or will hear your calls if you slip and fall. Retirement communities provide personal safety without compromising independence and freedom. Simple acts such as locked facility doors at night, key access to residents’ apartments, and vetted staff help to ensure your safety. Additionally, call bell systems and staff rounds offer the opportunity for someone to identify changes in physical ability or health.
7. Engaging activities.
We are sure that you have a long list of things you want to accomplish and do now that you have hit retirement — and we want to help you reach your goals! Retirement communities such as Pine Hills have a calendar full of events and special occasions in addition to all of the ongoing local attractions in the surrounding Hot Springs area. If you are bored or in short supply of things to do, it’s because you want it that way! Do you have hobbies and interests that you’ve had to put on hold during your working and family rearing years? Now is the time to get back to being involved with the things you love to do. Our retirement community is located within walking distance of a golf course where you and your teammates can tee off and spend the day playing.
6. Forget the chores.
Gone are the years of spending your weekends catching up on laundry and getting the house clean at the end of a week of hustling. Now you can spend your weekdays and your weekends relaxing and doing the things you love while staff members handle the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and lawn maintenance. Of course, you can tend to your own apartment and belongings as you choose, or let staff know you’d like it done for you. We weren’t kidding about the “resort-style” living accommodations. Never will you be asked to help clean communal areas or wash the dishes after dinner. Of course, we ask that everyone do what they can to keep shared areas free of clutter or personal trash to help make the community comfortable for everyone.
5. Fine dining.
Speaking of good eating, retirement communities like Pinehills offer restaurant-style dining experiences in community dining halls. Order what you like and have it served at your table while you sit and catch up with community-mates. All food is prepared fresh and to your preferences and needs. Have a medical condition, food allergy, or prescribe to a certain diet? We can accommodate your tastes and needs. If you are on a medically restricted diet or require special texture considerations, we can accommodate those needs as well. Snacks, drinks, and drinks are available between meals and at your request. Of course, you can opt to keep personal food and snacks in your own apartment and cook at your leisure. We understand that for some, cooking and meal preparation are their hobbies, and we honor that as well.
4. Cut expenses.
For many retirees, what seals the deal for making the move to a retirement community is downgrading their home and cutting costs. When you move to a retirement community, of course, you’ll have a monthly bill for your apartment and accommodations, but it is an all-inclusive package. No more mortgage plus utilities plus groceries. No more paying for a lawn company and trash company and a maintenance man or HOA. You can forget about keeping up with property tax and homeowners insurance and really focus on what’s important in your life, while saving money. Financial savings becomes increasingly important in retirement when your income tapers and may even cease. Let us help you find relief from the monthly burden of bills when you consolidate your life into one easy payment.
3. Reduce your risk of falls.
One of the most common ways that people injure themselves at home and wind up in a rehab facility or assisted living center is from falls at home. Sometimes it is decreased vision, a medication that leaves them feeling loopy, or sometimes it is just a loose rug or climbing to the top of a step stool to change a light bulb. Whatever the cause, falls can be traumatic and have devastating effects on your overall health and independence. When you make the choice to move to a retirement community, your risk of falls is dramatically decreased. At Pinehills Retirement Community, fall risks are alleviated, and you’d have no good reason to need to climb to the top of a step stool to change anything! Additionally, if you do fall, our staff is within a few seconds of you and can tend to your needs much quicker than if you fell alone at home.
2. Medication management.
Most people do not feel comfortable naming each of their medications, their doses, and why they are taking them. While most medical providers will agree, you should definitely be able to do so, we also understand that with daily updates in the pharmaceutical industries and the constant change in medical best practice, it can be a little overwhelming. Understanding side effects, when to hold doses, and when your medication is no longer effective can also be confusing and frustrating. Retirement communities offer you the ability to have assistance with medication reminders and advice from seasoned medical staff. No longer make guesses or blindly take your prescriptions. Our staff can help you feel empowered and comfortable.
1. The total package.
The number one reason we believe that making the move to a retirement community can help you get the most out of your retirement is that you don’t have to pick one of the reasons listed above! When you choose to make the move to a home-like Pinehills Retirement Community, you get all of the above and so much more.
If you or your family member is coming up on retirement or have already retired and are evaluating your best options, consider Pinehills Retirement Community for all of your retirement goals. Visit us online to learn more about our services and offerings and then contact us to schedule a tour of the facility. Welcome home!