Support, Security and Safety: The Benefits of Community Living

Community living involves having a roommate in a senior living environment. Often, two people live together in an independent or assisted living apartment. They each have their own private bedroom, but they share common spaces like living rooms and kitchenettes.

Relatives often choose community living when it’s possible for older adults to move into assisted living together. For example, two sisters entering this chapter of life together might decide to live in community with one another. Or long-term friends may choose community living as a way to stay close and reduce the cost of long-term care.

Let’s explore some support, security and safety benefits of community living below.  

Support Benefits

Whether you move into a senior living apartment with someone you already know or choose to be assigned to a community living space, you can provide and experience support benefits from this arrangement, including:

• Built-in social connection and reduced isolation. Even in the most lively assisted living community, new residents may choose to isolate because they’re nervous about jumping in or feel it’s too difficult to make it to common areas. A roommate offers built-in social connection that reduces loneliness; companions may also encourage each other to join in.
• Emotional support for big transitions. Someone who experiences life with you on a regular basis can listen to your hopes and fears and offer ongoing support as you face large transitions or challenges in life.
• Shared responsibility for daily tasks. While many senior living communities offer laundry, housekeeping and meal services, some chores may remain for residents. Sharing your space means splitting the burden of any tasks.
• Encouragement for positive, active living. A roommate can gently push you to live a more positive life by moving regularly, engaging in offered activities or enjoying simple pastimes like watching television shows or crafting together.
• An enhanced sense of belonging and purpose. The close relationships fostered by community living help ensure a greater sense of belonging and purpose. You can serve someone else as a friend and be served by them.

Security Benefits

Having someone else nearby often helps residents feel more secure, even when they know a senior living community is safe and staff is a button-press away. Security benefits of companion living can include:

• The consistent presence of someone else. Knowing someone else is nearby all the time can provide some peace of mind. It also helps that it may be someone you’ve developed a close relationship with, as you’re more likely to reach out to them with any worries.
• More cost-effective living. Companion living can make long-term care more affordable for older adults. You can split the costs of anything you want to add to your shared living space as well as your living expenses. Cost-effective living can enhance financial stability and security for older adults.

Safety Benefits

Day-to-day safety can also be increased through companion living. Some safety-related benefits include:

• Potentially faster response for emergency needs. Senior living communities typically have infrastructure to support fast response times for medical emergencies. However, if you’re worried that you won’t be able to make your needs known by calling the front desk or pressing the emergency button, a companion can enhance your feelings of safety. They can respond when something isn’t quite right and make those calls for you.
• Support for making life decisions. As you get to know your companion better, you might talk about life choices and concerns. They can come to know your preferences and needs, making them a great sounding board when you’re making various life decisions.
• Help with critical tasks, such as remembering to take medications. A companion can offer a second line of defense when it comes to critical tasks. For example, if you both take meds every morning, they might see that you didn’t take yours yet and mention it to you.