Emotional Advantages of Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are often where older adults live during the final stages of their lives. At a nursing home, residents can get constant access to the medical care that they need, cutting down on the need to make emergency or routine trips to a physician. In addition to the medical benefits of a nursing home, a nursing home can have some emotional benefits for its residents as well.

Socialization

• Many older adults are no longer able to easily get around. Many are not able to operate motor vehicles, and walking long distances can be a challenge. Nursing homes give residents the opportunity to socialize with their peers, by putting those peers directly next door to them. Nursing homes offer group activities, such as movie and bingo nights, that allow residents the opportunity to participate in social activities that they might have not been able to attend if they were living alone.

Peace of Mind

• Knowing that there is medical assistance nearby can be a great benefit for the emotional health of an older person. When at home alone, an older person may panic in a medical emergency, often making the situation worse than it is already. Instant access to medical assistance can make a person feel safer in general and be less frightened in the event that a medical emergency does occur.

Not Alone

• Later in life many older people may feel as though they are slowly becoming alone in the world. A nursing home surrounds those people with others and makes them feel like valued members of the community. Nursing home residents, unlike people who live alone, will not feel isolated by their surroundings.

Safe

• Nursing homes are concerned for the safety of their residents. Nursing home residents can feel safe in their surroundings, knowing that the building is being monitored for their safety and that those around them have their best interests at heart. Residents are often escorted on outings outside the facility, allowing them to feel safe while shopping and dining, without the fear that they might get lost or hurt during the journey.