Magnolia Manor Blog

When you hear the phrase “senior housing,” you get a mental picture of what that might be like. Some conjure up images of the worst nursing home they can imagine and think that’s what senior living is like. But does your impression match up with reality? Many people – including seniors themselves – have never seen a senior living community first hand, so they have only assumptions to go by. All too often, those assumptions are based on myths and misconceptions. The truth about senior housing might surprise you – a lot.

Catered Living. Just the name sounds inviting, doesn’t it? And it is. You might say it’s a specialty of the house here at Magnolia Manor because we offer this unique twist on Independent Senior Living at two of our campuses, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island. With Catered Living, you can enjoy all the amenities of Independent Living plus a little more.

Getting assistance with personal care helps fill the gaps for seniors who find they can’t do everything for themselves any more. So does assisted living. So what is the difference between personal care and assisted living? This is a question we hear often at Magnolia Manor, as we talk with seniors and their families. It’s an important one, too, because there are distinct differences between personal care and assisted living.

As couples get older, it is likely that at least one spouse will eventually require assistance with certain tasks. The healthier spouse may step in to help, but what happens when the burden becomes too great? Or what happens when both spouses need assistance? Couples often fear (and, therefore, ignore) the possibility of assisted living, worrying that they will be separated. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Assisted living is for couples as well as singles. Even if only one needs assistance.

One of the toughest things about getting older is having to admit you need help. Devoted couples look to each other for assistance as one of them needs a helping hand with daily living tasks or shows early signs of memory loss. Filling in the gaps this way enables the couple to continue living together, independently. But what happens when one person’s needs become just too much for an elderly spouse to handle? What if the couple is your parents?

We all age differently, so this scenario is not unusual. But it can be very difficult for adult children as well as aging parents to acknowledge that Mom and Dad now have different senior living care needs

It’s not easy facing the fact that you can’t do everything the way you could when you were younger. However, human nature being what it is, most older adults resist the thought of moving into a retirement community even when they should be seriously considering it. All too often, that resistance is based on misconceptions about what it’s like to live in an assisted living community.

Let’s dispel those myths! Here are five common ones that may sound familiar to you:

You can bring almost anything you want when you move into an independent or assisted living community. The only limitation is that whatever you bring must fit into your new home. You will be downsizing, perhaps significantly, so the size of your new space will determine how much you can bring. The question then becomes which items do you need and want most?

Oftentimes, older adults put off considering assisted living because they worry about losing their independence. After all, we all want to control our daily living as much as we can for as long as we can. At Magnolia Manor, we understand. So, while we provide assistance, we focus on living – using daily activities to enrich your body, mind, and spirit.

Assisted living is not a matter of what you will be losing, it’s about what you will gain. At Magnolia Manor, we offer assisted living at 7 of our campuses.

Searching for that just-right retirement community for yourself or a senior parent can be truly daunting. There are so many different types of facilities to choose from, and each one is unique in its living accommodation options, range of professional services, amenities and overall ambiance. We’ve all heard the expression “aging in place.” In a perfect world, we would never have to leave the home we love just because our mental and/or physical capabilities change. Yet for most of us that time does come. And when it does, choosing a full service retirement community will give you the peace of mind that you don’t have to move again.

Moving a parent into assisted living is an understandably emotional process for children. Although deep down you understand that assisted living is the best option, it’s completely understandable to feel guilty when Mom--or Dad--has to move out of their home.

But it’s also important not to let that guilt swallow you whole - your Mom still needs you! Rather than dwell on guilty feelings, try focusing your attention on what your loved one is gaining by moving into assisted living.