Seniors find dedicated care at Silvergate Fallbrook preferable to isolation at home

FALLBROOK – Whether it's a parent, grandparent, neighbor or friend, almost everyone knows an older adult living alone at home who is relying on outside help for day-to-day needs and care. They face important challenges to their health and well-being as the world shifts dramatically toward social distancing measures and a new way of operating.

Reaching out to older adults and encouraging them to ask for help has become a priority for the team at Silvergate Fallbrook, the region's premier senior living community. Caregivers continually work to identify older adults struggling to cope with being at home alone. They often discover that finding adequate in-home care can be problematic for those who are frail, advanced in years or have multiple chronic conditions.

"We're seeing more and more families overwhelmed by trying to deal with the day-to-day needs of an elderly loved one," Patricia Martinez, executive director at Silvergate Fallbrook where the community's solid reputation for providing care to older adults dates back more than 30 years, said. "We want seniors to know there's a better alternative to living alone at home right now, where social isolation can coexist with loneliness and depression. At Silvergate, it's exactly the opposite. Our senior living community offers relief to overtaxed families and a balanced, healthy lifestyle to at-risk seniors. We take care of the basics – but more importantly, we provide the appropriate care they so desperately need – while still managing the social distancing concerns for them."

Quarantine or social distance with friends.

"After months of this pandemic, seniors want to engage again," Helen Gray, marketing director for the Fallbrook community who speaks with older adults weekly, said. "It is discouraging for them to see people of other ages resume basic activities while they feel left out. Still, they want to be safe. Here at Silvergate, they can relax, enjoy the community, be safe and let our staff take better care of them. We administer their medications properly, make sure they're eating well; and find new ways for them to interact in socially distanced, small-group settings."

Receive care at Silvergate.

When facing the challenges of social isolation at home, older adults are particularly vulnerable to rapid declines in health. The reduction in mental stimulation that comes with socializing and engaging with the wider world may worsen the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. When health decline occurs, fear of going to medical facilities may prevent older individuals from receiving the care they need. Family and friends who have served as caregivers also may be afraid or unable to visit, limiting an older adult's ability to receive care.

At Silvergate, residents receive round-the-clock, high-touch care from highly experienced caregivers. They benefit from an industry-leading caregiver-to-resident ratio that provides increased supervision, 24 hours a day, when needed. The community's resident care director oversees a staff of licensed vocational nurse supervisors, professional caregivers and trained medication technicians who are regularly checking on residents, escorting them to important health appointments as needed, tending to their needs and assuring their safety and well-being.

Senior living lifestyle offers benefits.

Transitioning to retirement living at Silvergate also gives older adults the ability to take advantage of the service-rich lifestyle afforded exclusively to residents. Nutritious meals are prepared by a professional chef each day. Activities and things to do are regularly planned for residents, and friends and family are encouraged to safely connect with loved ones.

By remaining at home, basic needs such as assistance with bathing, basic home cleaning and support with memory loss may be left entirely unmet. By moving to Silvergate, older adults receive best-in-class care and assistance with the activities of daily living. They experience a greater sense of normalcy, find safe opportunities for socialization and receive the exceptional care they would likely find hard to cultivate while still living alone at home.

Families entrust their loved ones to Silvergate.

Now more than ever, Silvergate's veteran team of caregivers is developing creative ways to support residents within the community while still safely providing virtual community tours to older adults who would like to learn more about the relief and benefits provided by a nurturing staff of caregivers. To learn more about the independent living, assisted living and memory care accommodations at Silvergate, call Helen Gray at 760-728-8880 or visit http://SilvergateRR.com.

Submitted by Silvergate Fallbrook.