Senior living safety and security has always been of great importance for any community offering independent living, assisted living or memory care. Now, more than ever, it’s a good idea to be familiar with how the community you are considering approaches the safety, security and health of its residents, so that either you, or a loved one, can live with confidence knowing you’ve made a sound choice.

Retirement home safety is often greater than staying in place, check out s a few reasons below.

Retirement home safety: why a community can be your best choice.

While living in your home might feel like a good idea, statistics show most homes would require significant modifications to make them truly safe for a senior, especially as needs change. But when it comes to staying healthy and safe over the long term, the right senior living community can be the choice that helps you stay safe and maintain your independence as long as possible. Here are some reasons why.

The right design. Modern senior living communities are designed for the safety of seniors from top to bottom. Examples are ramps, hallway handrails, walk-in showers, wider hallways, elevators instead of stairs, and bathrooms with grab bars and night lighting to help avoid falls. Carpeting in residences for extra warmth and traction. Controls and door handles reachable by a wheelchair. All these senior living safety features allow a person with mobility or vision issues to move about more easily and confidently, which helps them stay independent longer.

A safer environment. Living in a senior living community, you have access to a range of amenities and services that not only make life more convenient, they can truly enhance your safety. For example, scheduled transportation means you don’t have to risk driving at night or in bad weather. With a full dining program just down the hall, you can enjoy every meal right where you are. Even if you wake up to a snowstorm, there’s already someone clearing the snow off the sidewalks so you don’t have to. In fact, without someone else taking care of all the maintenance worries, you no longer have to risk climbing a shaky ladder or crawling around in an attic.

In a Heritage senior living community, you are surrounded by a culture of wellness based on senior living safety, with opportunities for exercise, excellent nutrition, companionship, mental stimulation and relaxation. Heritage’s certified staff and emergency alert call system are available 24/7 should you require assistance any time of the day or night.

Faster access to care. In the case of a medical emergency, living in a senior living community such as one of Heritage Communities gives you the reassurance of immediate assistance 24/7. Even if you just have a cold or don’t feel right, you’ll be able to get access to help much faster than if you were living at home. Caring, trained staff are always close by, a vital aspect for enhanced senior living safety. You also have the advantage of on-site wellness services such as blood pressure checks or nutritional counseling.

Strategies for stopping the spread of illness. Today’s senior living communities are more vigilant than ever when it comes to protection against a virus or influenza. Tactics include more frequent sanitization of the environment, personal protective equipment for staff, screening visitors and suppliers, careful monitoring of residents for any signs of change, and constantly reviewing policies for masking and visitation. Senior living safety includes the advantage of continuity. Instead of different people dropping by your house during the day, you know your neighbors and your caregivers—and you know they are taking the right precautions.

Plans in place for senior living safety. There are a host of federal, state, and local requirements and policies that must be followed concerning the building, design, and operation of any senior living community. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also has established national emergency preparedness requirements to ensure adequate planning for both natural and man-made disasters.

Feeling safe and satisfied: senior living can be an excellent option

At Heritage Communities, we thoughtfully design our communities with your safety in mind. Our goal is simple: to help you remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.

Heritage Communities is focused on helping seniors find the key to Living Better. If you have questions about how to make the right senior living choice for you or for a loved one, download our free guide, Family Decision Toolkit:  How to choose the right senior living community. Or locate a community near you today.