Making Timely Decisions about Residential Care
How can assisted living communities provide better opportunities for my mom and dad?
Many seniors enjoy a better quality of life when they move to assisted living residences, as well as senior living communities in general. Our passionate care team, exciting activities, and luxurious amenities may help your loved ones become happier and healthier.
Are my parents’ physical abilities declining?
As a child, you may have admired your parents for their strength and resilience. As they age, most older adults become less agile and are prone to developing uncomfortable and dangerous health problems that may make living independently difficult, such as arthritis and hearing or vision loss. They also tend to develop more chronic health conditions–such as osteoporosis and heart disease–that cause an increased risk of life-threatening fractures and heart attacks.
Your parents will likely need more personal assistance and medical care as the years pass. Pegasus communities are here to help with dressing, bathing, and housekeeping services, as well as assistance with dining needs. We also offer diabetic care, incontinence care and management, ongoing monitoring of residents’ health statuses, and a licensed nurse available to ensure our residents maintain optimal health.
How can I keep track of my parents’ cognitive health?
Maybe your parents encounter minor memory lapses–such as occasionally forgetting to take their medication or pay their bills–that can lead to major consequences if left unchecked. Pegasus assisted living communities provide more security through medication management and personal check-ins throughout the day. However, if your loved ones’ memory loss is a symptom of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and/or dementia, memory care will probably be ideal for them instead.
What can I do to improve my parents’ mental health?
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems can have a variety of causes, such as an individual’s brain chemistry, as well as their inability to cope with difficult life events or personal choices. A common lifestyle decision that triggers mental issues in seniors is living alone.
According to the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, one-quarter of older adults live by themselves. Although seniors as a whole suffer from less depression and anxiety than the general population, as you can see from the following statistics, these symptoms are more common in solitary people from that age group. The chart below shows the percentage of Americans over 60 years old living alone and with others reporting that they are anxious or depressed.
| Anxious | Depressed | |
| Living Alone | 38% | 27% |
| Living with Others | 31% | 19% |
When your parents join our assisted living community, they will be able to engage and socialize with other seniors, often as a part of daily scheduled activities. These have continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with the addition of social distancing and are just as entertaining! Although their events may vary by location, our residents make friends while participating in artistic and musical activities, pub trivia, competitive Bingo games, exercise classes, group walks along scenic trails, and more.
If your loved ones are still not easily coping with obstacles that impact their mental state, associates at our communities–who are specially trained in behavior tracking and management–will be compassionate and understanding. The team members deliver access to highly-qualified therapists and related seminars through WellQor, a virtual mental healthcare organization.
We at Pegasus value all aspects of our residents’ wellbeing; we are continually focused on making their experience at our community as gratifying as possible. Whether your parents have difficulty continuing their daily routines or maintaining their physical or psychological health, we have a solution for them.
If you believe your parents could benefit from an assisted living community, start a conversation with them. Do you need to become more informed before you begin speaking about the topic? Read more about our assisted living services, in contrast to our independent living and memory care programs. You can also speak directly with one of our helpful associates, who can help you make one of the most important decisions of your and your loved ones’ lifetimes.