Healthy Aging

Advance Planning Key to Late Life Satisfaction

National Assisted Living Week® took place September 13-19, 2009. Established by The National Center for Assisted Living in 1995, this was an opportunity for the community at large to recognize the accomplishments of nearly one million people residing in more than 38,000 assisted living and residential care communities nationwide and to celebrate their contributions to society.

For older persons seeking the right senior living setting, advance planning for a thoughtful transition is the key to “life satisfaction and late life happiness,” says a new scientific consensus report we issued this week under a grant from Atria Senior Living Group, Inc.

Findings of the consensus panel suggest that a senior living community may be the best choice for ensuring independence. Members of the community typically take advantage of a wide range of services and amenities such as meal preparation, housekeeping, social activities, transportation, fitness facilities, and health care.

The report, Transitions to Independent Living Communities: Life Satisfaction and Late Life Happiness, is a first of its kind analysis based on the work of a panel of experts including physicians, geriatric and gerontological specialists, public health scholars, nurses, social workers, senior living officials and others.

“Combatting the negative societal images that falsely link senior living communities with losing independence is productive and necessary for all of us in our rapidly aging society,” said ILC-CEO Dr. Robert Butler, and the report offers insight into how older individuals and couples can approach transitioning to a new community with optimism.

Related Links: Transitions to Independent Living Communities: Life Satisfaction and Late Life Happiness

Keywords: independent living, assisted living

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