What Assisted Living Benefits Can Your Loved One Enjoy in Our Community?
If you have an aging parent who is finding it more challenging to live independently, you may be wondering whether it’s time to consider an assisted living community for your mom or dad.
Maybe you’ve been helping out with medical appointments, meals, shopping and chores around the house, but you can see that, before long, your parent is going to need more support than you can manage on your own.
There are many reasons seniors and their adult children decide that living in a community with a higher level of assistance is the best choice. At that point, it’s only a matter of finding the right place.
You’ll find a lot of differences from one community to the next, and exploring the options can be time-consuming. It’s well worth the effort, though. The emotional, mental and physical health benefits of assisted living will enhance your loved one’s quality of life, and you’ll both experience greater peace of mind.
What Is Assisted Living for Seniors?
Unless you’ve already started researching senior living options, you may be wondering, what does assisted living provide?
As the term implies, assisted living is a residential arrangement in a senior living community that provides a certain level of assistance. How much assistance and how often it’s provided varies from one person to the next, and those needs often change over time.
Families are sometimes surprised to find that the goal of assisted living is to allow and encourage residents to live as independently as possible. Meeting that goal means providing the appropriate amount and type of assistance for each individual.
Some older adults need minimal or occasional assistance — such as transportation to appointments and the grocery store or reminders to take their medications on time.
Others need more support with routine daily activities such as grooming, dressing, continence, and getting up from bed or out of a chair.
Caregivers in assisted living communities, like Asbury Village, are trained to provide personalized care for each resident and to provide it in a way that allows residents to maintain their dignity at all times.
Assisted Living Is Not the Same as Skilled Nursing
Although most assisted living communities have nurses on staff, generally they are not licensed to provide medical care such as dressing wounds or administering injections. They can, however, monitor residents for changes that might warrant a different level of care, and they may notice signs or symptoms indicating the need for medical attention.
Advantages of Assisted Living at Asbury Village
While many assisted living communities offer the same benefits overall, each community is unique. As you’re researching senior living communities in your area (or near your loved one, as the case may be), it’s helpful to make notes about which aspects you like or dislike.
Once you’ve whittled down your choices, the next step is to visit the communities you’ve selected as possible options. Experiencing a community in person is the best way to get a feel for how comfortable your loved one would be as a resident. Ask to take a tour, stay for a meal and meet residents.
Below are several benefits of assisted living at Asbury Village.
#1 Our serene, countryside setting
When you visit, the first thing you’ll notice about our community is the beautiful countryside. Our community lies at the end of a winding road lined with trees, nestled in the landscape near a pond. Yet, we’re still conveniently located near shopping and restaurants in town.
Across our 120 acres, it’s not unusual to see deer, turkeys and other wildlife, and the sunsets here are marvelous. Occasionally, you’ll hear a train go by and you might even hear the whistle blow. Residents love to walk outside, knowing they’re safe and secure as they take in the scenery and fresh air. Even from the inside, the views are stunning.
#2 The tenure of our staff and our strong ratio to residents
The turnover rate for employees in the senior living industry varies anywhere from 40% to greater than 65%. This approximate statistic rings true across all positions, including management, caregivers, administrative support, housekeeping, maintenance and kitchen staff.
At Asbury Village, our average turnover rate is around 15%. Several members of our senior management have been here for more than 20 years, and there’s considerable longevity among the rest of our staff as well. For instance, one of our CNAs just celebrated her 22nd work anniversary with us, and we have kitchen staff and housekeepers who’ve been with us for 10 to 15 years.
This also speaks to the high level of satisfaction among our staff; we’ve been named a Holleran Choice community for our exemplary culture of employee engagement, scoring the highest in the nation on the senior living employee survey.
Our staff-to-resident ratio of approximately 1:11 also factors into the close relationships you’ll find here at Asbury Village. Not only is our ratio better than that of most other assisted living communities, but it’s better than you’ll find in many skilled nursing facilities as well.
#3 All residents enjoy communitywide access to amenities and services
Asbury Village is the only assisted living community in the Godfrey/Alton area that is also an independent living community. As a result, the activities, amenities and services we offer appeal to and can accommodate seniors with varying interests and abilities.
It doesn’t matter whether residents are here with us for independent living or assisted living — they are all encouraged to participate in what appeals to them.
Another benefit of living in a community like ours is the option to move between independent living and assisted living while staying in the same familiar surroundings and maintaining the same friendships.
We offer on-site rehab through Alton Physical Therapy, and we’ve had a number of residents join us for assisted living after experiencing an illness or injury, complete their physical therapy program and then be able to transition to independent living at Asbury Village.
#4 The feeling of being part of a family
Visitors to Asbury Village often remark about how friendly everyone is here. New residents receive warm and heartfelt welcomes from their neighbors and others throughout the community, helping them feel at home from the start. Long-time residents are thankful for the close friendships they continue to cherish.
Residents know they can expect to see the same smiling faces every day, and they develop bonds with the staff. We participate in activities together, strengthening our relationships through the fun and laughter we share.
Our executive director, Anita Martinez, considers herself fortunate to be part of the family. She says she has to pinch herself every day to make sure what she’s experiencing is actually happening.
“There’s really something special going on here,” she says.
#5 Our spiritual dimension
At the heart of our community is our chapel; Asbury Village is the only senior living community in the area to have its own chapel.
We also have our own chaplain, the Rev. Jackie Havis-Shear. Reverend Jackie is an ordained minister in The United Methodist Church.
Before we changed our name to Asbury Village, we were United Methodist Village (we renamed our community to reflect that we are a nondenominational community).
While we have a chapel and a chaplain, and we offer various faith-based services, our concept of spiritual wellness is broader than the belief in and adherence to a particular faith. In our holistic approach to wellness, we view spiritual wellness as one of eight dimensions of wellness.
Enjoying the benefits of spiritual wellness doesn’t require participation in faith-based services or bible study, although many residents do both right here at Asbury Village. Some residents find other ways to tap into their spiritual side — for instance, by contributing their expertise and skills to build a better community for everyone.
#6 Apps and Chats with Chef Dominic and the Asbury Café
Every month, our director of culinary services, Chef Dominic, meets with residents in assisted living. He shares information with them about healthy dining and other topics, asks what he can do to enhance their dining satisfaction, and treats them to unique and tasty appetizers.
And recently, we opened the Asbury Café, where residents and staff can enjoy breakfast and lunch (and milkshakes!) to go or in the café. There’s also a market area stocked with essential grocery items like bread, milk and eggs, and a boutique section with gift items for sale.
What Others Are Saying About Asbury Village
Sometimes hearing or reading other people’s perspectives has a greater impact than anything we could tell you. These are a few excerpts from reviews and testimonials by residents, their families and our staff:
“Asbury is not just a retirement community, it’s a family. From staff to residents to visitors, everyone treats each other with kindness, helpfulness and joy.” – Jason Hanscom
“Being here with the residents and staff on this beautiful campus has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.” – Gail Stucker, who’s been with us for 8 years
“I would recommend Asbury to any of my loved ones. Something very special has been created and nurtured in this community.” – Mitzi Colene, a volunteer
“When I come to work in the morning and I see the smiles on the residents’ faces, it makes me feel so appreciated. I sincerely love the teamwork we’ve created here” – Margie Smith, a certified nursing assistant who’s been with us for 17 years.
If you would like to schedule a visit and experience our exceptional hospitality firsthand, we invite you to complete a brief contact form or call (618) 208-0959.
Featured Image: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock