Page 32 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Spring 2021 - Online Magazine

SENIOR RESOURCES
Senior Living in the Future
by Nathan Manning
2020 has been difficult
for everyone – and
even more so for
seniors who have been
forced to isolate and
be apart from family
due to the COVID-19
pandemic. With
the vaccine on the
horizon for seniors,
there is new reason
for optimism as we embrace 2021.
Residents of assisted living will
be among the first Americans to
receive COVID-19 vaccines. Many
of our residents have already
received their first dose.
Early in the pandemic, daily death
tolls were reported at various
retirement communities, nursing
homes and assisted living facilities.
That led to a perception that all
retirement communities and
assisted living facilities were unsafe
for both residents and employees.
That perception has proved to be
totally inaccurate. Today, many of
our Beehive Home assisted living
facilities have some of the lowest
infection rates in Texas, largely
due to increased precautions and
safeguards that are in place. At
BeeHive Homes, all our residents
and staff members are monitored
daily for symptoms.
In addition to the COVID safe
practices in these communities,
another important factor is the
social setting. According to the
National Institute on Aging,
behavioral and psychological
factors play a critical role in health
across the lifespan. Studies have
32 Amarillo Senior Link
shown that social factors, such as place, interact socially every day
social relationships and feelings through meaningful activities
of loneliness, play an integral role and meals. It’s imperative with
in overall health. According to senior populations that we find
the Institute, “Subjective feelings ways to provide engagement and
of loneliness are known to be a reduce the tendency to self-isolate.
risk factor for serious functional They need daily opportunities for
declines and even death, and group activities. This keeps people
converging lines of evidence participating, being active, and
from multiple cross-national enjoying one another’s company.
epidemiological studies indicate
that social isolation is a major risk Study after study has confirmed
factor for morbidity and premature that seniors who continue to
mortality…. Evidence suggests that engage in social interaction enjoy
addressing these factors and their longer lives than those in isolation.
interplay are critical to minimizing These relationships can even help
disease and achieving full potential to boost the immune system and
and vitality as people age.” overall well-being.
With the tide finally turning, it’s The final piece of the staying-
time to make sure our senior connected equation will be for
population is engaged and families to be able to be together
interacting with other supportive again. Currently, for all senior
people. At BeeHive Homes, there living communities, each resident
is a small, home-like, family style can designate two essential family
environment. Each facility can caregivers to visit them on a
accommodate 12-16 residents. Each regular basis. Additionally, all
resident has his or her own private other visitors are welcome to visit a
room and bathroom. Private rooms resident through a closed window
and bathrooms have proven very or online using digital technology.
effective at keeping the spread of We are hopeful that, once seniors
infection low and residents as safe receive COVID-19 vaccines, more
as possible, while still living in restrictions will be lifted, and our
a congregate setting. Residents, seniors can enjoy some normalcy as
with COVID safe practices in before.