5 Reasons To Make the Move Into a Retirement Home
It’s one of the toughest decisions we will have to make in our retirement years: to stay in the home we’ve lived in for decades, or make the move to a retirement community.
This is a discussion that will take a different shape for all of us, depending on our particular life circumstances after we reach the usual mid-60s retirement age.
However, there are some fundamental differences between living in a house and an engaging retirement community that can help you navigate this decision and make it an informed decision.
There are a lot of things to consider, but here are 5 key reasons you should consider moving into a retirement community.
No home maintenance and less physical stress
We’re not as strong and energetic in our retirement years as our youthful ones, and this can affect our ability to handle the wide range of physical labour a house requires. This can involve some more physically challenging tasks, like making physical repairs to a house’s walls or roof, as well as trying seasonal chores such as shovelling snow. Some can find these activities hard to do, and they can leave us exhausted for an entire day, meaning less opportunities for activities and hobbies.
With a retirement community, you don’t have to worry about this, as the facility and its garden or grounds will be professionally maintained, and indoor common areas kept spick and span. This means more time and possibilities for fun things to do.
Meals made for you
Cooking can be one of the great joys in life, but there’s no denying that sometimes you just want a healthy delicious meal ready for you come dinner time. Even those who love to cook may chafe at having to drive to the grocery store, or carefully place the fine glassware, dishes and cutlery into the dishwasher -- tasks that may be much more complex when we are older, as our hand-eye coordination and abilities behind the wheel become less reliable.
At a retirement home, you just have to worry about finding your favourite seat in the dining room, and enjoy a nutritious and enjoyable meal from an accomplished chef. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ll have tasty options suitable for any dietary restrictions. And, when family comes over, there’s no need to spend hours getting things ready in the kitchen. You can see our seasonal dining menus for a taste of what’s in store.
Accessibility
Our freedom of movement can be constricted as we age, sometimes to a major degree that impacts our ability to physically move around our homes. Some common challenges here include stairs that decades earlier we easily bounded up, but now become more of a physical barrier, as well as indoor facilities such as a shower or toilet, which become more difficult to position our bodies for access.
This can be solved with expensive renovations of course, but with a retirement home you don’t have to worry about any of this in the first place, and can enjoy barrier-free access and make use of common features without concern.
Easy social life
Making friends can be challenging for many of us in our senior years, but in a retirement home you don’t have to worry as meeting new people becomes very easy. You’ll find yourself in a welcoming community of fellow residents who enjoy an active retirement featuring regular socialization with their fellow retirees. In common areas such as the in-home movie theatre, gym or dining room we have here at Sundial Lakeview Retirement Residence in Orillia, you will find yourself crossing paths with friendly faces and easily mingling in no time.
Activities and programming ready for you
Finding a new thing to do isn’t difficult during retirement living -- just open up the community calendar and you’ll have no shortage of options. When living on your own, keeping busy with hobbies and activities does not come naturally to all of us, and it can take a lot of effort to seek out sources of fun such as educational classes that make retirement easier.
However, in an engaging retirement community, you’ll find readily available activities waiting for you every day. Here at Sundial, our programming team is always keeping the calendar full of a wide range of things to do, such as art and cooking classes, outings, and live musical performance. You can see some highlights on our Facebook page.
Here at Sundial Lakeview Retirement, a retirement community in beautiful Orillia, we are proud to provide a well-rounded and healthy retirement experience for all our residents, whose happiness is at the heart of everything we do. If you have any questions or would like more information on our retirement experience and amenities, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.