How Senior Living Communities Are Changing
Prioritizing Health and Wellness
Several years ago, the International Council on Active Aging surveyed 637 professionals in the senior care industry. They asked these professionals to look ahead to 2023 and predict whether their senior living communities would be based primarily on promoting a wellness lifestyle or in providing care. Nearly 60% of those surveyed predicted their community would be focused on wellness while providing options for care.
This ongoing shift in the senior care industry to promoting wellness will be a major trend in 2021. At McGregor, we aim to foster complete physical, mental, and emotional wellness among our residents, rather than simply treating or caring for a specific illness. Our interdisciplinary patient care teams focus on treating the person as a whole, ensuring all of their needs are met.
Promoting Creative Aging
It is becoming more common to approach retirement less as an “end” or closure to a period in one’s life and more as a transition into creative endeavors. This approach is known as “Creative Aging.” McGregor believes in engaging older adults in activities and programs that focus on social engagement and skills mastery, including art, music, writing, cultural activities, and low-impact sports. More senior living communities will take this approach in 2021 as it enhances residents’ quality of life and adds meaning to their daily activities.
Increasing Use of Technology
This should come as no surprise, but 2020 was definitely the year of technology. Our staff and residents alike were challenged to integrate technology into their daily lives as a way of staying connected to family and friends. Even when the COVID-19 pandemic eases, the tools we have learned and implemented will be here to stay. In general, senior living communities will be investing more in technology in the new year. According to a Senior Housing News survey of senior living employees in early August 2020, 87 percent of respondents said they anticipate their organizations to increase technology budgets in 2021, citing more spending on “items such as resident monitoring, contact tracing, telehealth, and virtual tours.”
Are you or a loved one interested in McGregor’s senior care and independent living communities? Learn more about our independent living, assisted living, and nursing care options, and speak to a member of our team about whether McGregor is right for you.