Argentum is joining assisted living communities across the country in celebrating National Assisted Living Week (NALW). Now in its 28th year, NALW recognizes and celebrates the caregivers and residents of the nation’s more than 30,000 assisted living communities.
Established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, this year’s NALW theme is “Season of Reflection,” which encourages everyone to take a moment to appreciate the individuals who make assisted living communities a loving home for some 2 million Americans.
Assisted Living is a home and community-based setting for older adults combining housing and supportive services that promote independence, purpose and dignity for each resident. Individuals who choose assisted living enjoy an independent lifestyle with assistance customized to meet their needs, and benefits that enrich their lives.
For the money, assisted living provides more of what matters when it comes to helping seniors stay as healthy, happy, and independent as possible. More than 90 percent of seniors in assisted living communities report “good or great satisfaction” with their community, 96 percent say their communities provide sufficient health care and access to care, nearly 75 percent say assisted living improves their quality of life, and 70 percent indicate their health outlook improved as result of the care they receive.
During NALW, we celebrate the caregivers who work tirelessly to provide compassionate care to assisted living residents. Unfortunately, this year’s National Assisted Living Week finds us in the midst of a record health care workforce shortage. The senior living industry lost more than 100,000 positions during the pandemic, leaving the industry far below its pre-pandemic employment levels. As 10,000 Americans turn 65 each day, and up to 70 percent will require some form of long-term care in their lifetimes, the U.S will need to fill more than 20 million caregiver roles by 2040.
This NALW, we encourage everyone to take a moment to reflect on the importance of assisted living communities and the people who make them so special. To find out more about NALW, please go to:
https://www.ahcancal.org/Education-Events/Pages/NALW.aspx
Thank you to all of the caregivers and residents of assisted living communities for making such a difference in the lives of others. We celebrate you during NALW and every day!
