How can an assisted living community feel like home?
If you have decided to move your loved one into residential care, know that this decision is in their best interest. The right assisted living community will provide them with a lifestyle filled with great care, comfort, and a vibrant life full of companionship and activities.
The first significant choice you’ll face is whether you prefer the structure of a large, corporate assisted living facility or the unique appeal of a smaller, boutique-style community.
Cost is often another factor in choosing a senior living community. The 2023 national median for assisted living was $5,350 per month. Seniors in Louisiana typically benefit from a lower price, with an average of around $4,750. However, services and comfort levels can vary.
Traditional senior care facilities services may include:
- One level of assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Delivery meal service or isolating dining rooms
- General activity programs
- Transfers to nursing homes for changing needs
Sage Oak of Lake Charles boutique assisted living offers a homelike environment that fosters personalized support and familiarity, key aspects often missing in larger institutions. Here at our community, we prioritize:
- Personal connection and care
- High-quality level of care
- Chef-prepared meals prepared and served family-style
- A lifestyle that caters to the diverse needs and preferences of older adults
- On-site availability for higher care needs
Experts suggest that a smaller setup of between eight and 12 residents is ideal for several reasons. Let’s delve deeper into why a boutique assisted living community can feel just like home.
The needs of residents are priority one.
While larger establishments tend to prioritize operational efficiency and standard operating procedures over residents’ needs, senior communities with smaller houses tend to be more flexible. These setups are more resident-focused and better positioned to respond to the needs of retirees.
In contrast to skilled nursing or nursing home care, where medical care is the main focus, our boutique assisted living community seeks to balance top-tier healthcare with an enriching lifestyle. We understand that seniors in long-term care have diverse needs that contribute to their overall well-being; it’s not just about medical attention.
Sage Oak of Lake Charles offers a range of recreational activities tailored to our resident’s interests and abilities, promoting social engagement and mental stimulation. Our dining options are delicious, nutritious, and thoughtfully prepared, catering to individual dietary needs and preferences.
Our scaled-down size allows us to be more resident-focused, with personalized care that respects individuality. We are nimble and adaptable, responding promptly and effectively to the evolving needs of our residents. That flexibility, combined with our commitment to creating a homelike environment, ensures that they feel valued, cared for, and at home.
The risk of falls is dramatically reduced.
CDC statistics show that the residents of smaller assisted living communities (between four and 25 residents) experience far fewer falls than residents of larger senior housing facilities. The percentage of falls was about 12 percent in the smaller communities but increased to 24 percent in communities with more than 50 residents.
Accidents and injuries resulting from falls are a continual danger for seniors, and preventing these problems is a main determinant of healthy aging.
Communication is direct and continual.
Since the physical area of a larger establishment is bigger, staff members use walkie-talkies or paging devices and may remain disconnected from many areas of the facility. It might take considerable time and effort to get in touch with them.
On the other hand, residents communicate easily and directly with team members in a smaller, supportive retirement community and get quicker responses. We want residents to live independently and comfortably, knowing that assistance is always readily available.
Each resident can experience a better quality of life.
There is a greater sense of community in a welcoming, cozy environment where everyone knows everyone else and the residents gather together frequently. It simply offers more opportunities for fun.
The atmosphere is more like a family home, which improves the quality of life and makes it more fulfilling. Larger layouts and skilled nursing facilities feel more clinical, providing a service in return for a fixed amount. They can be more impersonal and even faceless.
Residents’ wishes and feedback are given due importance.
In a large assisted living facility, the wishes and feedback of every resident are more difficult to implement. The staff must take a larger view and create activities based on general requirements, not individual preferences. It may be impractical and even impossible to incorporate the suggestions of one individual.
Organizing individualized meals and activities is much easier to do in a smaller senior community. Residents at Sage Oak of Lake Charles have more of a say in how our community functions, the activities, menus, and house routines. That gives our residents much joy and a sense of importance and control.
There is an intimate, non-bureaucratic structure.
Since large senior facilities have complex structures and hierarchies for operational efficiency, they also tend to be bureaucratic and governed by rules and regulations.
In a smaller community with fewer residents and more team members, the setup can be flexible and provide opportunities for more interaction. It creates valuable bonds and genuine friendships among our residents and team members.
The area is easier to navigate.
It’s much easier to find your way in and around smaller buildings; larger structures can feel overwhelming and difficult to navigate. Our smaller care homes include senior-friendly floor plans where residents receive help with activities of daily living activities.
At Sage Oak of Lake Charles, we also have a compact, secure, shaded outdoor space accessible for all residents – it serves as a community space for socializing.
While we know this lifestyle is appealing, we understand that moving to a smaller living space comes with certain challenges. Read our downsizing guide to discover how to make this process hassle-free for your family.
Seniors receive direct care and companionship in an assisted living community.
Large and small setups may provide housekeeping, meals, and laundry services, but the level of boutique living care is more direct and intimate: Team members are less like servers and more like companions. This is typically less likely in larger establishments where team members work in shifts or on a rotation basis.
Just like your home, the kitchen is the focal point of the house.
Our boutique senior living homes have a common kitchen in an open setting close to the dining area and the residents’ private rooms. Though meals are provided, residents are welcome to help with meal prep when inclined to do so. The kitchen can become a space for lively conversations and socialization for the group, which is difficult in a large, structured facility.
A homelike setting makes family visitation casual and more enjoyable.
Large establishments may have rules about visitation, whereas a small, intimate setup is more flexible, natural, and open to visitors. Residents in a smaller assisted living community can enjoy informal visits from friends and family much as they would have at home.
Assisted living residents and their family members also enjoy all the features of our meticulously maintained common areas. Our boutique community feels like home, and we invite you to explore the benefits.
Visit Our Beautiful Boutique Assisted Living Community
Still have questions about our community versus other assisted living facilities? Give us a call at (337) 426-8755 to get more information or arrange a tour.