Seniors when it comes to Privacy

Some people grow up with little to no privacy. They may share a room with a brother or sister, their entire family (depending on their family’s culture), or even their poverty level. Yet, most adults ultimately enjoy some level of privacy, whether they live alone, with a spouse, friends, or another family.

Seniors, when they start thinking about assisted living as an elder care choice, might not know very much about it. One of the biggest concerns may be a sense of privacy.

Why do seniors worry about privacy?

Every single one of us likes our own space. We don’t want to get undressed in front of a stranger. We don’t like the idea of having to share a bedroom with somebody we don’t know.

However, that’s how many assisted living rooms are set up: as shared rooms. This can certainly help offset the cost of assisted living, but it also raises some serious concerns among some seniors. The biggest one involves privacy.

How much ‘privacy’ is there in a shared assisted living room?

That depends on the individuals who end up sharing that room. Some may argue there is really no privacy at all. You go to sleep and the person sharing that room may also be sleeping, right there, in another bed three or 5 feet away from you.

If you had grown accustomed to being alone for many years, that can be unsettling. Yet, it can also be comforting. Just knowing that somebody else is in the room with you can help you feel as though, even if some medical emergency arose, you wouldn’t be completely alone.

Seniors can change and maintain their privacy in the connected bathroom.

Most assisted living facilities will have private bathrooms for each room in the facility. That means even if an elderly person is shy, introverted, or would rather not get dressed or undressed in front of somebody else, they can simply go to the bathroom, close the door, and enjoy some privacy.

What about phone calls? That can certainly be a point of contention for some people. If an elderly person receives a call from their adult daughter, for example, or even a doctor, how can they maintain privacy during such conversations?

They can work it out with their roommate.

If they do have a roommate, they can make arrangements that if there’s a personal phone call, the roommate will go in the hall, go to the bathroom, or otherwise allow that individual to have the privacy required.

That would need to be a two-way street, though. One person can’t expect the roommate to give them privacy if they’re not willing to reciprocate. There are many ways to deal with and provide privacy for an aging senior in assisted living.

Some facilities do offer private rooms as well. If the senior is concerned about privacy when it comes to assisted living, find out if there’s really a matter of privacy or an easy excuse to throw in the way of this elder care option so you don’t have to discuss it further. If that’s the case, they could be missing out on a great quality of life.

If you or an aging loved one is considering a move to Assisted Living in Central Scottsdale, AZ please contact the caring staff at MD Senior Living today. 480-267-9200