What You Need To Know About Moving Into Assisted Living Facilities In Maine

By Kendra Hood


If you are having problems completing various activities of daily living, you can choose to move to an assisted living facility. At such a facility, you will receive the medical care and motoring you need to live comfortably. Assisted living communities are regulated by the state government and they offer a wide range of services to their residents. Assisted living facilities in Maine provide seniors who are suffering from minor health problems with a unique place to live in. They are also known as adult care homes, congregate care communities, adult foster homes and residential care homes.

You can choose to move to a small congregate care community or a large one depending on your preferences. A large facility may be occupied by a hundred or more people who have their own private apartments. Adult care homes usually do not have the medical monitoring equipment used in nursing homes. However, these homes have trained staff members who are available round the clock.

As a resident of a congregate care home, you will be required to pay monthly fees for accommodation and services. These homes provide services like bathing assistance, meals, laundry, insulin injections by a registered nurse and escorts to activities among others. Some of them have various amenities like swimming pools, gyms and beauty parlors on site. Most congregate care homes have a central dining and kitchen area and a common area where social activities take place.

The typical residents of an assisted living facility are senior citizens who have suffered a mild decline in their overall health. This may be caused by an illness, injury or aging. They may face challenges when performing various activities including, bathing, dressing or walking or may not be mentally sharp as they were in their youth. They need the comfort associated with living in such a facility as well as the availability of medical attention.

Some adult care homes also serve younger individuals such as those who have impaired cognitive function. Most people move into these communities with the intent of residing in them on a long term basis. However, assisted living communities also provide residents with short term care.

Some physicians ask patients who have undergone medical procedures such as surgery to temporarily reside in adult care homes. These patients are able to get help with performing various tasks until they fully recover. They return to their homes after recovering.

Moving to an adult care home can be a stressful process because a major change in lifestyle often brings additional anxiety. This process can be simplified by early planning and preparing the elderly person mentally for the upcoming lifestyle changes. Getting anxious before moving to an adult care home is normal because most people worry if they will still have the freedom there are used to, if they will continue seeing their family members often and if they will adapt to residing in such a community.

Another thing to you can do to ease the process of moving to an adult care home is to familiarize yourself with the facility you want to move to. Get adequate information about it such as how the members of staff treat residents before you move. After you adapt to your new lifestyle, your anxiety, fear or worries will end.




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