Many considerations go into choosing where you want to live during retirement. On top of practical concerns, such as whether you can afford it and if it will offer safety and security, you might also consider whether you can find fellowship in a new home. If you're a senior of faith, you might want to consider a faith-based assisted living community. Find out more about these options below.
Faith-based assisted living communities adopt care philosophies that are driven in part by specific faith values. For example, Bethesda Senior Living Communities has a service-based care philosophy rooted in Christian and Biblical values.
That doesn't mean faith-based assisted living communities don't offer all the clinical care and other amenities you might expect in other locations. They do; they simply offer those services with a heart and background that may be a little different.
Another difference you might find between faith-based communities and those that are completely secular is that faith-based locations often put importance on including faith activity options. The community calendars are more likely to include regular prayer, worship and devotional times, as well as Bible studies.
Preferences vary by community, but many faith-based assisted living communities welcome older adults of various backgrounds and beliefs. That's certainly the case with the communities under the Bethesda Senior Living Communities umbrella.
You also don't have to participate in faith-based activities, such as in-person worship or Bible study, if you don't want to. The independent and active residents at our communities make their own schedules and choose what activities they want to participate in.
That being said, if you are a senior of faith, there are many reasons you might choose an assisted living or independent living community that promotes faith. A few are summarized below.
As an older adult of faith, you know physical and mental wellness is only part of the package. When looking for a home, you may consider how your surroundings will impact your spiritual health. While not everyone residing in or working at a faith-based assisted living community might have the same views and beliefs as you, there's some assurance in the fact that the community as a whole operates with faith principles in mind.
For example, residents in the communities under the Bethesda Senior Living Communities umbrella often have access to Bible study and on-site chaplains. These may sound like small details, but they help add up to an ability to interact with resources to gird your spiritual health.
Even though some residents may have different faith backgrounds, when you choose a faith-based community, you're more likely to have neighbors who have similar beliefs to you. This can be important if you want to make more friends in the faith so you can walk with them during this new season of life. The ability to regularly dine with, pray with and for and converse with other older adults of faith can be rewarding and help support you as you face the joys and challenges of retirement.
When you decide to downsize into an independent living or assisted living community, you may need to move out of a neighborhood or area you've lived in for a long time. That can include moving away from a home church where you're comfortable worshiping. Having in-house worship opportunities right in your community, such as Friday evening devotionals or chapel services, can make it easier for you to find a new groove when it comes to your faith.
While change can be challenging, and there are many things to consider as you retire and make potential decisions to downsize or move into assisted living, there are also many positives to consider. As a senior of faith, you may look at retirement as a time when you can grow in your faith. You may have more time to spend with God in prayer or studying the scriptures, feel bolder about speaking out about your beliefs or want to find ways to teach and serve others.
If you also want to move into a senior community, choosing one that's faith-based helps you support these goals. You may feel more confident speaking about your faith with others, or you may make new friends who can help you grow in faith by talking about their own journeys with the Lord.
Ultimately, choosing an assisted living community should involve a variety of considerations. While making these decisions, remember that you're a whole person and your new home should support you physically, mentally and spiritually.
