Senior Housing To Make the Elderly Comfortable
There are several senior housing options available and it is imperative to do considerable research before taking a decision. The housing for the senior citizen should be in compliance with his needs like the kind of assistance or the living arrangement needed by him. Check out what the health insurance covers and what can be afforded. Ask housing counselors for advice before you make the right choice.
Own Home
One of the options of Senior Housing is to stay in your own home, get it modified and repaired according to your needs. For seniors there are provisions for reverse mortgages and even rural housing loans are available. If you need in-home help, even that can be arranged, and meals can be brought home by "Meals on Wheels".
Apartments
Senior Apartments are another example of Senior Housing where people above 55 years of age live in one residential property, but in independent apartments. There is no common dining space or any common dining facilities. But at some places there are community rooms where social activities can be organized.
Special Care
In many countries there is public housing for the elderly with affordable rents. For the elderly who have disabilities there are special Senior Housing units made for them. Again rural rental help is available and the state can be approached to grant this special housing choice for the senior citizens.
For many elderly people continuing care is necessary and some senior housing choices provide assisted living and medical care. Such houses have retirement communities, and neighborhood networks. Everyone lives like one community, and each one helps the other to stay active in his own way. There are volunteer centers who organize Senior Community Service and the volunteers can be employed to help the elderly as well.
Such independent living communities have central dining facilities and offer several services like housekeeping, linen service, transportation as well as recreational activities.
On the other hand there are Assisted Living Residences for people who cannot live independently. This type of Senior Housing is supported by the state and there are trained employees for the residents who provide them supportive care. Such senior citizens often require assistance with activities of daily living.
Two New Concepts
The concept of ECHO (Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity) housing is a type of Senior Housing where the seniors live in a second family unit or apartment with a separate entrance, on a single family house, with another family. Often the renting party is also senior. The shared housing concept is also common, where one home is shared with another. One of the shared partners need not be a senior. Often such arrangements are made by professional organizations so that the two partners can be of help to each other, especially for the senior citizen.
