What is a resident journey?
The resident journey is the process that residents go through as they age, from independent living to assisted living to memory care. The journey is important for senior living facilities managers because it helps them understand how to best serve their residents' needs at each stage of the process. By sectioning residents into categories based on physical and psychological support needs, facilities are able to allocate resources and staff attention to best serve their residents.
First Stage: Independent Living
The first stage of the resident journey is independent living. In this stage, residents live in their own apartments and can generally care for themselves without assistance from others. They live in an apartment or house and have access to amenities like restaurants, shopping and entertainment. They have full control over their schedule and finances, and they can choose whether or not they want any help with day-to-day tasks such as cooking and cleaning.They may need help with cooking or housekeeping tasks, but they are still able to live independently without assistance from others.
Second Stage: Assisted Living
The next stage of the resident journey is assisted living. In assisted living, residents have more assistance than they do in independent living—for example, if they have trouble walking or getting around without help from others. Assisted living facilities provide this assistance by hiring staff members who can help residents with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing, cooking meals, cleaning up after dinner parties (if desired), taking medications at specified times every day (as prescribed by doctors), etcetera! These tasks are done by trained professionals who understand what it means to work with seniors on a regular basis so there are no surprises. Assisted living facilities provide 24/7 staffing and offer assistance with daily activities such as taking medication and eating meals. However, these facilities are not required to provide round-the-clock care; residents are expected to be able to care for themselves during most hours of the day.
Third Stage: Memory Care
The final stage of the resident journey is memory care. In memory care, residents receive round-the-clock supervision due to mental illness or dementia (or another health issue). Memory care facilities often provide personalized services that help improve quality of life for residents by increasing opportunities for socialization and engaging with others. Memory care is a more intensive service than assisted and independent living and typically costs more money to operate.
