Assisted living is one of those things we can never agree on. While some think it is efficient and offers older people specialized care, some think it's impersonal and unnecessary to leave the home you've lived in for years. A community member posed the question on an internet platform to better understand why boomers oppose this setup. Here are the answers.
1. Nobody Wants To Live in an Apartment
It's unnatural for human beings to live on top of, under, and share walls with others. Most of us would rather live on our compound but have to make do with what we can afford. A radio baby says they oppose assisted living as they prefer a house with a medium-sized yard.
2. Boomers Are Capable of Living by Themselves
Isn't it impractical to move to assisted living when you can care for yourself? Somebody states that downsizing to an assisted home doesn't make sense if they're fine living independently.
3. Assisted Homes Are a Colony of Old People
In the real world, we experience people of different ages, and assisted homes cannot replicate that. An individual shares that they have no desire to live in an environment where they only interact with older people when they can live in a neighborhood with people of different ages. They can engage with infants, elders like themselves, and the demographic in-between.
4. Rules Stink
As a person who went to boarding school with countless rules, I can confirm that it's not fun. It sucks when an outside authority controls every aspect of your life, from when you wake up to what you wear and eat. Somebody admits that they don't want to live where others dictate the number and kind of pets they can have. Some assisted living homes take away pets from old people.
5. It's a Waste of Energy
According to a responder who lives in a paid-for home, paying rent and mortgages when you don't have to is unnecessary and expensive. Apartments are noisy and unpleasant, and they're not interested in pleasing the young by getting out of their way.
6. Boomers Want To Live Big
Being old doesn't mean you should be stuck in a shady apartment eating bland cafeteria food. A commenter mentions that he worked hard to save and afford a big, beautiful house in the city's heart. You'll need dynamite to get them out of that apartment. They installed a no-sill shower, a ramp, and an elevator to accommodate his wife's needs when she became disabled. As long as they can make such adjustments, they're staying.
7. Mystical Attachment to Their Home
A husband claims his wife has a mystical attachment to their modest home. While they are attracted to the provisions in an assisted facility, like nice hotels and exercise facilities, they're attached to their wife, so they're stuck in their house forever.
8. You Have To Qualify for Assisted Living
Did you know that you have to qualify for assisted living? A contributor discloses that their 94-year-old dad qualifies because he has problems with movement, hearing, and eyesight problems. Their 93-year-old mother does not qualify, and they have to pay much more for her to get in. It's crazy that they'd have to separate to avoid paying the exorbitant fee.
9. Quality of Life
Who wants to spend their last days in an understaffed environment where their needs are neglected? A forum member writes that they've had a family member in assisted living three times, and you need to advocate for your loved one for them to get the proper care. If the staff doesn't feel like anyone is watching, they'll get ignored. They're sure there are some nice places, but the three places they've been to needed more staff.
10. It's Expensive
Someone replies that apart from the fact that living cheek-to-cheek with other older adults gives him goosebumps, assisted living facilities are expensive. He'd rather enjoy the money he worked for than give it all to a care facility.
11. It's a Lonesome Place
After visiting an assisted living facility, one indicates that the places need more interaction. They had awesome staff and offered many activities, but no one used the nice things. People were holed up in their rooms or stuck in front of the TV. They'd have done that at home, but they'd have to incorporate activities like getting groceries, cleaning the house, or arranging for someone to do it. Such activities require you to interact with other people and walk around.
12. It's About Personal Freedom
Finally, a user expresses that they can do anything they want in their home without breaking the rules or offending someone. They can keep a pet, move around as they please, and sit around their wood stove for as long as they please.
Source: Quora.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.