Assisted senior living doesn’t deserve the reputation it receives. Many seniors look at assisted living in a negative light, assuming that these communities are glorified nursing homes with no room for independence. There’s also an assumption that communities with assisted senior living are aimed at people who can’t do anything on their own. 

Neither of those assumptions is true - nor are these assisted senior living myths that we’re about to debunk: 

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Myth: Assisted Senior Living Is Extremely Strict

There’s such a common misconception that these senior living communities are uber strict and give you no freedom to follow a flexible schedule. That’s not true. You can treat assisted living for seniors like a retirement community of sorts, as you have enough freedom to do what you want. You’re not locked down behind gates, unable to see the outside world. You’re basically just living in a new home with some additional help whenever you need it - and while being amongst people of a similar age. 

Myth: You Only Receive Extreme Assistance

“Extreme” assistance refers to any type of assistance that’s quite full on. We’re talking about needing someone to come and help you out of bed in the morning, shower you, cook and clean for you, etc. The biggest myth surrounding these places is that this is the only type of assistance available for seniors. As you can imagine, that’s false. You’ll find much smaller waves of assistance, be it communal areas with built-in hearing aid support or a gardener who’ll keep your lawn tidy. You can be as fit and healthy as you like, yet still find ways to be assisted, if you fancy it. 

Myth: Everyone’s In Their Nineties

Again, not true in the slightest. While you will find some people in their eighties or nineties, assisted senior living communities are full of younger seniors, too. People who retire in their sixties decide to live in these places because they foster a greater sense of community than regular neighborhoods. You don’t have to be extremely old to live there - and you will absolutely find people around your age. 

Myth: You Can’t Bring Much With You

Most people assume that a senior living community is like a completely separate place on planet earth entirely. They also think that moving to one of these places is an acknowledgement of leaving your old life behind. For some reason, people think they can’t bring anything with them when they move, other than clothes. That’s a myth! You can absolutely bring your favorite furniture, family photos, and even pets. It’s literally no different from moving to any other new home. 

Where do all of these myths come from? To be honest, it’s probably down to the confusion between senior assisted living and nursing homes. People see the word “assisted” and assume it means elderly people being pushed around in wheelchairs with no freedom. That’s so far from the truth. A senior living community is simply a place where seniors can live together. There’s tota flexibility, mixed with some added assistance, if you need it.