Senior Housing Is Better for Your Health

Did you know…?

Senior Housing Is Better for Your Health

February 14th 2024

Making the move to a senior living community can have a number of positive effects on your life, but did you know it could even improve your overall wellness? According to a recent study done by NORC at the University of Chicago, making the move to a senior community can mean becoming less “frail.”

The Results Are In

NORC’s comprehensive study applied Harvard’s Claims-Based Frailty Index to a population of 495,099 Medicare beneficiaries across the senior housing continuum to assess older adults’ vulnerability to adverse health outcomes—measuring their rate of chronic conditions, acute conditions, and health services utilization.

Not surprisingly, the results showed that residents with the greatest level of need and vulnerability tend to reside in communities equipped with the most intensive care and support services. But, more significantly, the results illustrated a correlation between a resident’s length of stay and their increased health outcomes, ultimately determining the path-defining truth: Older adults are less vulnerable soon after moving into senior housing.

The authors of the study, NORC’s Vice President of Health Care Strategy Dianne Munevar and Senior Associate of Health Care Strategy Claudia Gorman, determined from the data that—while an analysis of an individual’s frailty 12 months prior to moving into a senior community can be useful—the vulnerability expectation for seniors is unanimous:

• Seniors are more vulnerable to declining health outcomes in the year prior to moving into a senior living community.
• Upon moving into senior housing, vulnerability increases for a short period as residents settle in before leveling off and showing improvement.
• Vulnerability to adverse health outcomes levels off / decreases around 3 months after residents move into a senior living community.
• Residents experience a 10% decline in relative frailty levels one year after moving into a senior living community.

According to Raymond Braun, president and CEO at The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care—the organization that provided the grant that funded the study—the finding that vulnerability “declines after entering senior living…suggests that this kind of housing can help restore a measure of vitality and independence” for residents.

Braun went on to say: “For operators, [this finding] indicates that investing in non-medical supports is critical for residents’ improved health and safety.”

Living Gracefully in Your Next Chapter

Which is why Grace Management, Inc. communities are dedicated not only to providing compassionate care and services to residents—but also helping our residents live up to their full potential, so they can rest easy knowing that their lifestyle and interests will be catered to and their expectations exceeded. A sentiment reflected in Lead Researcher Munevar’s findings, when she reported, “Non-medical care and services like socialization, transportation, exercise, balanced nutrition, medication management, and others have a positive impact on a resident’s health.”

With a variety of living options, as well as daily wellness, cultural, and educational life enrichment activities and events offered through our Vibrant Living Program, communities operated by Grace Management are where you can live your best life—exactly as you want. Because we believe in the power of community and the importance of feeling supported—with compassionate care and elevated resources—to live and age gracefully in your next chapter.

A Place Where You Belong

Communities operated by Grace Management are proud to offer exceptional Independent Living, Concierge Living, Cooperative Apartment Homes, Personal Care, Assisted Living, Specialized Care, and Memory Care in a place that is not just like home, it is home.

Managed by Grace Management, Inc., a leader in providing the best senior living experiences, our communities have elevated industry standards while providing the resources and information seniors and their loved ones need to make important life decisions. Grace Management, Inc. is a subsidiary of CPF Living Communities and is ranked in ASHA’s 50 largest senior housing owners.

For more information, or to schedule a personalized visit, please call (763) 544-9934 or visit www.GraceManagement.com.

Resources

Munevar, D., & Gorman, C. (n.d.). (2023, September 26). Older adults are demonstrably less vulnerable soon after moving into senior housing. The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC). https://www.nic.org/news-press/older-adults-are-demonstrably-less-vulnerable-soon-after-moving-into-senior-housing/