Have you or your senior loved one considered community-style living? It’s never an easy choice to make, but there comes a time when it’s the smartest and safest choice for everyone involved in the family dynamic. Luckily, senior living has come a long way in terms of the choices available and the varying levels of care offered at each facility. With that being said, you may be wondering which is the more appropriate choice: assisted living or independent living? We’ve highlighted the main advantages of both options at Lester Senior Living to give you or your loved one better insight on what we have to offer at our senior community in Morris County, NJ.
Independent living at Lester Independent living communities are for seniors who require very little to no assistance. They are often “empty-nesters” who realize they want to be around people their own age more, who also share the same interests. These older adults have also realized they no longer want to deal with the stresses that come with owning a big home. Seniors who opt for independent living usually have access to light support services and social and dining programs. The (Heller) independent living apartments at JCHC’s Lester are part of a larger senior campus that includes another building dedicated to assisted living apartments (Weston). These two buildings are interconnected by a lobby and dining room, and all the residents of Lester Senior Living come together to enjoy activities like Zumba, gardening, mahjong, university-level classes and more! You can take advantage of as many of these activities as you like, but it’s always your independent choice to make. And if someday you require more support that is available through assisted living, you would only need to move across the lobby! Assisted living at Lester Assisted living communities provide many support services for seniors, like medication management, bathing, dressing, cleaning and more. These support services are usually scaled to the individual, which means you can opt for the care that makes sense to your unique situation. Undoubtedly, assisted living is the best option for seniors with limited mobility or a chronic health condition that requires monitoring. At our Weston assisted living apartments, you will be part of a warm community that believes in living life to the fullest! Having caregivers on-site around the clock, ensures you can get the extra help you need, when you need it – in order to give you more independence to pursue the things you love to do. Not to mention, our facility has one of the best ratios of staff to residents in the industry, which means we never fall short on care. Our staff members can assist with getting dressed for the day, keeping your apartment tidy, managing your medication list, and more, all in the comfort and privacy of your apartment. Plus, you have access to all of the monthly social activities that are shared with our independent living residents across the way. Narrowing it down… In order to decide which senior living option is the best for you or your loved one, answering the following questions can help you narrow in on a decision:
Adjust senior care accordingly at Lester Senior Living, NJ At Lester Senior Living, you can easily adjust your living situation as your care needs change. Perhaps you’ll start off in our independent living building, and then after a few years you’ll feel that assisted living in the Weston building is more appropriate for your personal care needs. As we mentioned before, going from independent to assisted living is only a quick move across the lobby. Which means you don’t have to uproot your life and start over again. You can keep the same friends, activities and lifestyle at Lester Senior Living – no matter what. If you have any questions about independent living or assisted living in morris county, please call us today or visit our website to learn more: https://jchcorp.org/ The original blog is posted at: https://jchcorp.org/assisted-living-or-independent-living/
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Fall is finally here! The leaves are changing, there is a crisp feeling in the air and it is time to indulge in all the foods classic to this season, like apples, pumpkins and butternut squash. If you’re planning to share a meal under the Sukkah, butternut squash soup is the perfect, fall comfort food. Especially if it is a chilly autumn day. This butternut squash soup is a favorite of our chefs and residents at JCHC’s Lester Senior Living. We highly recommend making extra because this soup can easily be reheated, and will be just as delicious to have again later in the week!
Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients:
Fall is one of our favorite seasons here at Lester because we get to enjoy seasonal comfort meals like butternut squash soup, honey apple cake and freshly baked challah. The culinary trained chefs at Lester Senior Living look forward to trying out even more new fall recipes for our assisted living and independent living residents. They always cook with fresh, in-season ingredients and provide many different options to satisfy different tastes, dietary preferences and even kosher needs. For more information about assisted living seniors dining in Morris County, NJ, please contact us today or visit our website at: https://jchcorp.org/ The original blog is posted at: https://jchcorp.org/butternut-squash-perfect-soup-for-fall/ Many seniors may argue that moving into a senior living community relinquishes independence, but we’re here to tell you why the opposite is true. Living in a senior community marks the beginning of independence by letting go of household chores and other mundane daily tasks and making more room for the things you actually enjoy! If you’re debating whether or not community living is a good choice for you, here are some signs that you’re ready for this new chapter in your life.
Sign #1. You’re ready to throw in the dish towel. We’re sure at this point in your life, you are no longer cooking for an army of children. It may be just you, or you and your spouse you have to worry about. After years and years of preparing meals, we think you’ve paid your dues! When someone else cooks for you it eliminates the pent-up stress of going to the store, finding the right ingredients, and following an intricate recipe. Not to mention, you’re also eliminating the nightly debate of who is going to wash the dishes. At a senior living community like JCHC’s Lester, staff can cook each meal for you and clean up afterwards on a daily basis. We also offer community dining in an elegant and spacious dining room where other residents and your family and friends can easily accompany you for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Our culinary-trained chefs love to mix it up in the kitchen and are fully prepared to modify any meals to adhere to any dietary restrictions or kosher needs. Sign #2. Owning a home has become too stressful. With your children now living in their own homes with their respective families, you’ve probably come to realize that your home is way too big now. Your kids also aren’t around as often to take on household chores, which means you have a lot less help to maintain your big house. Owning a home requires a lot of recurring maintenance which becomes even tougher if it’s all on you to take care of. Things like dusting counters and shelves, doing dishes, cleaning the bathrooms all need to be done on a close to daily basis. On top of that, there are always unexpected issues that pop up from time to time like shoveling snow off the driveway, unclogging a toilet, and repairing a faulty appliance. Home ownership stress is just another big sign to consider senior community living. You probably can’t wait to leave household chores and monthly bills behind. All senior living apartments at Lester are maintained daily, and if something unexpected pops up – one of our staff members will handle it immediately. Sign #3. You need more excitement in your life! A lot of older adults are under the impression that living in a senior community means letting go of your independence. However, it is just the opposite! Letting go of home ownership issues will actually give you more independence and time to do what you want. Not to mention, senior community living offers so much in terms of socialization and activities. If you’re looking for more excitement in your life, consider taking up a new hobby you’ve always dreamed of doing. Have you ever wanted to take Zumba classes? Or learn mahjong with a group? Or even learn about a new culture? With daily tasks taken care of by our reliable staff members, you can now do all of the fun activities above! Better yet, you can take part in all these activities with other residents, who you can one day call your friends. Independent Living and Assisted Living for Seniors in NJ At JCHC’s Lester Senior Living, we offer a wide range of tailored support services for older adults in an environment that prioritizes quality care, independence and socialization. Designed to enhance resident connection, our lively activities program is updated monthly with a variety of classes to suit each resident’s individual interests. Some of our most popular on-site activities include Sit & Be Fit, Movie Matinees, Bingo, Trivia Nights, and JCHC University Classes. For more information about assisted living and independent living options for seniors in NJ, call us today or visit our website at: https://jchcorp.org The original blog is posted at: https://jchcorp.org/signs-youre-ready-for-senior-community-living/ Selecting a senior living community for your loved one can be a challenging process. After all, it’s an important decision that places the care of mom or dad in the hands of people you do not know. Aside from ensuring the quality of care, you also need to ensure that mom or dad will like the feel of the community. Are the people nice? Is there a variety of activities and clubs to take part in? Are there open spaces to gather? Is the floor plan and decor of the community up to date? Is there a high-tech medical wing available in case mom or dad develops a health condition down the line? While we certainly have the people and activities covered – soon enough, JCHC will be able to provide a resounding yes to all of these questions, as we have major exciting renovations planned for Lester Senior Living! Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come, and why JCHC just keeps getting better.
NOTE: this is only a taste of what we have planned! Keep checking our website for more updates on our 2022 renovations. Assisted living communities that encourage independence At JCHC’s Lester Senior Living, we’re all about keeping seniors as independent as possible, while supporting them with personal care services to make their lives easier. Additionally, we are able to scale these services at any point if they require a higher level of care, including professional memory support for Alzheimer’s and dementia residents in our specialized memory care and medical suites. We also offer social programs to encourage residents to get more involved with community life and make new friends along the way. Our top priorities at each JCHC community is to ensure each resident gets the help and support they need, and to provide that level of care in a beautiful space. With our new renovation plans in place, we look forward to serving residents – old and new – in a more modern environment that encourages a fun, exciting and independent lifestyle. For more information about our new renovations at our NJ senior living community, please give us a call today or visit our website at: https://jchcorp.org The original blog is posted at: https://jchcorp.org/jchc-just-keeps-getting-better/ Deciding to leave your family home and transition to an independent living community is a big adjustment. Not only can it be emotional for your senior loved one, but there also is the challenge of downsizing from a big home filled with years worth of belongings to more conservative apartment living. No matter the circumstances, it’s going to take time for mom or dad to realize this move is in everyone’s best interest, and to settle into their new home and life. Fortunately, as their child and support system, there are things you can do to help them transition to independent living more successfully.
Be completely honest. Sometimes it doesn’t help to be overly positive at the expense of truth about the change. Instead, let them know that they can be honest with you about their emotions at all times, and in turn be honest and empathetic with them. Validate their feelings when they express how sad they are to leave the home they raised children in. But also remind them that it’s a part of life to keep moving forward and that independent community living will relieve a lot of the stresses of homeownership and provide them social outlets they may be lacking.. Tackle packing together. Putting emotions aside for a minute, packing in and of itself can be a chore. And taking on packing up and moving an entire house is almost impossible to do alone. To help mom and dad transition easier to independent living, offer to help them pack up (and get rid of) their belongings. We recommend starting with the smallest room in the house and working your way up, making “yes” and “no” piles only – no maybes! This could also become a more positive, bonding experience with the whole family by letting mom and dad reminisce about each belonging, and even pass on some beloved heirlooms to each family member. Encourage them to get more involved. After the dust has settled and mom or dad has moved into their new independent living apartment, it’s important that they establish a new routine. Schedules are important to helping someone transition into a new life. The beauty about community living is that there are tons of new activities that your loved one can get involved in. Remind your senior parent that without the stresses of homeownership they now have more time to pursue their hobbies and even try something new that they always wanted to do. If your parent needs a little more of a push to get involved, reach out to their community’s activity director and ask for help. They will be more than happy to provide mom and dad with an activity schedule and even escort them to fun events happening around the community. Independent Living Community in New Jersey Our collective aim at Lester Independent Living is to ensure that each of our residents maintain their dignity, quality of life and independence, no matter what. Our wonderful activity directors encourage residents to get involved with social activities, clubs and events on-site, while receiving the level of care they require. Personal care services can also be scaled so that each resident gets the help they need to live independently and happily in our welcoming community. For more information about how we can help your loved one transition to independent living, please call us today or visit our website at: https://jchcorp.org The original blog is posted on: https://jchcorp.org/helping-a-parent-transition-to-independent-living/ |
AuthorWe offer seniors a range of options in terms of housing, services, amenities, location and cost, all within the Jewish tradition: independent living, assisted living, memory care, respite, affordable housing, enriching programs, and on-site services for our residents, many of whom have special needs. Archives
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