Prairie Hills at Independence: Recover Rhythm After Loss or Change
The grief of bereavement is one of the hardest experiences, especially for seniors in Independence, IA, who've lost someone close to them. According to Psychology Today, grief is more than just a terrible feeling; it can also significantly disrupt essential daily functions. For example, it can cause changes in sleep and appetite due to the intense sensations associated with it.
These changes are linked to grief affecting the nervous system temporarily. Thankfully, senior living communities like Prairie Hills represent an ideal community for grieving seniors to find enriching daily structure after loss.
This article explores how supportive senior living communities, such as Prairie Hills, can help seniors transition into a new chapter of their lives after loss or change.
Iowa Senior Care After Loss
Prairie Hills is a senior living community on the east side of Independence. This is a community where staff and residents alike can focus on the daily details and protective factors that ensure supportive senior living. Prairie Hills provides a blend of safety, supportive care, and independence, allowing residents to create a personalized daily routine that works for them.
Seniors transitioning into Iowa Senior Care for the first time are often doing so after a significant loss, such as the death of a spouse or a recent health setback. Many of our seniors have spent months or even years living in isolation while aging in place.
While aging in place is an effective strategy in the early days of retirement, as mobility declines, social cycles shrink, and health care needs increase, it gets harder to maintain a safe environment.
A Vibrant Senior Community
Prairie Hills offers private or semi-private apartments, and all of our residents have access to fantastic amenities such as shared dining in a restaurant-style setting. There's also plenty of daily assistance, such as housekeeping, to help with chores, allowing you to focus your time and energy on enjoying your retirement and the community.
What sets Prairie Hills apart from other senior living communities in Iowa is that staff really take the time to learn each resident's story. Every senior has a past, and through careful listening and discussion, our staff learn what drives our residents.
Working With Families
Family plays a key role in ensuring a strong daily structure after loss. As mentioned, in supportive senior living, staff try to understand seniors' stories.
Staff in senior communities can benefit from the assistance of family members and an understanding of seniors' backgrounds. Life transitions and aging are among the most fundamental challenges in life.
However, with detailed insights and life histories provided by loved ones, combined with quality support from patient staff, seniors can have a much better experience in a senior living community.
Life Transitions And Aging At Prairie Hills
How does Prairie Hills help seniors address their grief? We understand that the grieving process is different for everyone because every relationship is unique. When marriages last for decades, years of supportive habits and positive co-dependencies are lost along with the person.
Such losses take time to adjust to, and according to Therapy For You, the grief from such a loss isn't something you can fix; instead, you need to adapt to a new living situation and routine.
Prairie Hills might not be able to cure grief, but we can help with the routine part. Our senior environment is committed to providing a stable, nurturing atmosphere where seniors are guided towards a consistent daily schedule that aligns with their:
- Interests
- Capabilities
- Healthcare requirements
We help preserve independence as much as possible by allowing our residents to exercise their autonomy. However, we understand that during the grieving process, some tasks might feel too heavy, and we'll offer assistance where we can.
Prairie Hills is a calm and respectful environment. Residents and staff alike understand that there are days during the grieving process when one might be capable of little else but quiet contemplation. Our staff and residents try to show that their silence is understood and not judged.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does Memory Support In Independence Help After A Loss?
What if someone has a memory condition like Alzheimer's or Dementia that deteriorates in response to grief? According to the Alzheimer's Society, those suffering from Dementia may experience a period of accelerated decline when dealing with the loss of a loved one.
Here at Prairie Hills, we offer both Senior Assisted Living and Memory Care in one location. This means seniors with mild cognitive impairment have a suitable option, and as memory diseases progress into later stages, they can transition into our memory care community.
Which Iowa Senior Care Option Is Best After A Loss?
For those dealing with extreme grief who may have relied on a partner for informal memory care support, it can sometimes be hard to gauge the level of support needed. Assisted Living allows people to maintain their autonomy and independence for longer while receiving round-the-clock care and support.
On the other hand, Memory Care offers more all-encompassing support by specialized staff with specialized amenities and events that use the latest technology. The latest evidence adapts these for seniors with cognitive impairment.
If you're in doubt about which of these is appropriate, Prairie Hills is a great choice, as we can evaluate your loved one. Should it turn out they have higher or lower support needs than initially anticipated, they can move between our two specialized communities. Continuity of care is ensured, and seniors always have the right support just on their doorstep.
Discover Prairie Hills
Even though grief doesn't go away right away after a big loss, it is easier to deal with when seniors are around regular routines, caring staff, and familiar faces. Senior care in Iowa at Prairie Hills at Independence can help people feel safe and like they have a purpose again by taking into account their past and present needs.
Choosing a supportive community now can help your loved one transition into this next chapter with greater stability and comfort, regardless of whether they require assisted living or memory support in Independence.
New residents who have served in the military in the past are eligible to receive half off their first month's rent annually, thanks to our Veterans Program.
Interested in learning more about our community? Contact us and let's set up a tour.