If you’ve been looking into senior living options for yourself or a loved one, you may be familiar with the differences between independent living, assisted living and memory care. What you may not know about is the additional level of support independent living provides in communities — like Highpoint at Stonecrest.
What sets supported independent living apart? Let’s take a closer look at independent living in general and go from there.
What Is Independent Living?
At its core, independent living is a maintenance-free lifestyle for older adults who:
- Want to retain their autonomy
- Prefer to make their own choices and live on their own terms
- Are active and motivated to stay that way
- Do not require daily assistance with routine activities
Residence Types
While most independent living residences are apartments, some communities also have a limited number of other residence types available, such as patio homes, casitas and single-family homes.
Fees
In addition to monthly rent (or the entrance fee some senior living communities charge before new residents move in), there’s a monthly fee that typically covers utilities and the cost of amenities and services the community provides. This fee may or may not include meals.
In communities that offer advanced care, such as assisted living and memory care, those costs are usually included in the monthly fee as well.
What Does Senior Living Provide?
In senior living communities that offer independent living, residents enjoy the convenience of having staff take care of home upkeep and repairs, housekeeping, landscaping and other responsibilities associated with homeownership.
Dining Options
Residents have the choice of preparing their own meals or enjoying delicious, nutritious cuisine in on-site restaurant-style dining venues. Many independent living communities have coffee shops and bistros featuring lighter fare and the convenience of to-go items.
Security
Most senior living communities have 24/7 security measures in place, and assistance is close at hand should an emergency arise. As a result, residents usually feel safer and more secure than they did when living on their own.
Abundant Amenities
Along with these advantages, independent living communities provide an array of amenities and services that can make life more enjoyable. Chief among these “extras” are social activities and opportunities to discover new interests.
Nearly all independent living communities offer health and wellness programs and transportation. Many also feature resort-style swimming pools, salons or spas, on-site fitness facilities with trainers who specialize in working with older adults, libraries, art studios and walking trails.
Freedom To Choose
When you consider everything, these communities offer, it’s easy to see the benefits of independent living for seniors.
As residents of an independent living community, older adults have opportunities every day to meet new people and form lasting relationships with staff and neighbors. They also have copious options when deciding how they want to spend their days. Plus, they are always free to come and go as they please.
So, What Is Supported Independent Living?
Supported independent living adds another layer of features to the many advantages already mentioned. It’s designed for residents who could benefit from additional services but don’t require the higher level of care provided in assisted living.
The services available through supported independent living may be an ideal solution for couples when their needs diverge. For instance, one partner might benefit from in-home medical care or monitoring, while the other partner has no such need.
Specific support services vary among independent living communities, so if this is something you’re interested in, be sure to ask for details when you call or visit different communities.
Supported Independent Living at Highpoint at Stonecrest
Some of the services we offer for independent living support are built into the Highpoint lifestyle — like the emergency pull cords in all apartments. Residents have peace of mind knowing they’ll get a quick response should an urgent situation arise.
We also have pendants available for residents who want mobile support when they’re outside the community.
Residents have access to our on-site rehabilitation, provided by Next Therapy and staffed by a licensed nurse. Here, they can receive minor first aid, health consultations, blood sugar checks and more.
In addition, we have an on-site social worker who can assist residents and their families with resources and transitions.
We partner with trusted local professionals to provide certain in-home and on-site support services, such as:
- In-home assistance with dressing, bathing, meal prep and medication management
- Caregiver visits, including full-day care if needed
- Monthly psychiatric visits for additional therapy and medication support
- In-home visits by doctors, rehabilitation therapists and other medical professionals
- Community-wide wellness clinics and in-home services for lab tests, EKGs, X-rays and more
- Specialized services provided by audiologists, cardiologists, massage therapists, podiatrists and wound care specialists
To Learn More
We’re here to answer your questions about supported independent living and other levels of care Highpoint at Stonecrest offers. If you’d like to see our community in person, we’ll gladly schedule a visit.
Call us at 352-549-9210 or fill out our short online form and we’ll be in touch.