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Moving into Assisted Living can seem overwhelming and sometimes even a little scary. You might have heard stories from friends or have preconceived notions that are filling you with apprehension.
Older adults often postpone moving because of misconceptions about Assisted Living. But, waiting can mean losing years of happiness, companionship and independence.
Capri Communities is here to candidly clear up some of the misconceptions that might be holding you back so that you can make the right choice for you.
Myth #1: Assisted Living is the Same as a Nursing Home
Skilled nursing facilities provide rehabilitation services to get people well during their recovery from surgery or illness. Long-term care facilities are designed to support people with chronic conditions. Both environments are staffed with 24-hour clinical support and there is a real need and purpose for people who live in these settings.
Assisted Living communities are very different. They are modeled to provide care in a non-medical setting. People live in an apartment environment that is rich with services, common spaces, and programming designed to keep you thriving based on your abilities and desires.
Apartments are designed with older adults in mind. Think of wider doorways, non-slip flooring, grab bars, enhanced lighting and adaptable bathrooms. In Assisted Living, you also receive supportive care with Activities of Daily Living (ADLS) to help you maximize independence and enjoy life to the fullest. ADLs include medication management, bathing and grooming, dressing, laundry, housekeeping, meal preparation, and personal care services.
Picture This: You wake up and make coffee. A caregiver stops by to provide daily medication that keeps you on track, and you then head down the hall for a group stretch class before lunch with friends while housekeeping cleans your apartment and manages your laundry.
Myth #2: I’m too independent for Assisted Living
There are many seniors who desire to live in their own home for as long as possible, and that might be the best choice for them. But what does it mean to be truly independent? No matter our age, none of us is truly independent. We all rely on our spouses, our children, our friends, and neighbors for help at all stages of life.
For example, some of us need help reaching the top shelf, cleaning the gutters, raking the lawn, cleaning the bathroom, and reminding us to take our pills. Whether it’s a spouse, child, or friend, we are always surrounded by people who help us every day.
As we get older, performing household chores can become dangerous (imagine a stumble with a basket of laundry or tripping down the back stoop), preparing healthy meals becomes harder, safely driving becomes more difficult, and friendship circles begin to shrink. That is when your independence can be harmful to you.
When an older adult says that they don’t want to lose their independence and wants to stay in their home, even when housekeeping and maintenance chores, or the caregiving of their spouse, become overwhelming – it can really boil down to being reluctant and fearful of change. Maybe a little paralyzed by the stigma of aging.
A lot of fear comes from the monumental task of decluttering and downsizing. There are emotional attachments to our homes; a move may bring a profound sense of loss of where you raised a family, hosted friends, and built memories.
Staying “independent” can also place an undue burden adult children and friends. Now, rather than enjoying your company, the adult child role shifts to become a “caregiver”. They pick up home maintenance chores, lawn care, snow removal, and shopping, and ensure medication and meals are consumed.
In this scenario, a senior’s independence is transferred to creating a network around them, relying on other people. And that really isn’t a framework for positive independence.
Assisted Living removes daily burdens so you can focus on staying active, connected and engaged. One of the biggest benefits of Assisted Living is friendship. Living alone can be lonely, and loneliness has been linked to cognitive decline, stroke, depression, anxiety, dementia, and other maladies.
In Assisted Living communities, you’ll be surrounded by neighbors in the same stage of life in a community where there are plenty of opportunities to socialize if you choose.
Picture This: Instead of cooking for one every night, you venture to the dining room where a hot meal is waiting. Instead of staying home alone because you are worried about slippery sidewalks, you walk down the hall to the gathering room for a card game with friends.
Myth 3#: I won’t get the same quality of care that I’d get at home
It’s natural to wonder if anyone else could take care of you as well as you take care of yourself (or as your loved ones might), but reputable senior living communities like Capri Communities are experts in senior care. Our Assisted and Memory Care communities are licensed by the state of Wisconsin, and our caregivers are highly trained. Our communities are designed to accommodate the needs of the aging person. And our management teams are specially trained in senior living operations.
While no one can replace the love of a family member, the stress of caring for a loved one is real. Allowing trained professionals to provide needed care support enables the original caregiver relationship to flourish so you can spend time enjoying each other rather than in a caregiving mode.
People often feel guilty when they reach the point of needing supplemental support. Senior living providers don’t see it that way – we view it as a privilege to take the heavy burdens of meal preparation, housekeeping, and intimate caregiving so that couples can be couples and sons and daughters can visit without the stress of worrying if mom or dad is safe.
Keep in mind that caregiving support by a spouse or adult child can continue in a senior living environment. The senior care provider may offer extra help to supplement that care, such as doing laundry, assisting with personal care tasks like showering, toileting, or proper oversight of medication management.
Picture This: You manage most things on your own, but you don’t have to worry if you forget a pill or feel unsteady one day. Staff are a call button away. Your daughter doesn’t have to spend Saturday afternoon sorting your medications. Instead, she can stop by and take you out for ice cream.
Myth #4. I cannot imagine leaving my home
At Capri, we frequently see people moving to independent senior living too late – when they are unable to fully participate in community life due to physical and/or mental decline.
They stair-stepped past Independent Living where they would enjoy newfound freedoms and a maintenance-free lifestyle and move directly into an Assisted Living environment where they need more care – frequently due to an incident or crisis while they were living “independently” in their home.
Some people tour with Capri and tell us they will make a move when they must or, in other words, when a crisis occurs. While our Assisted Living communities offer a plethora of services and a robust enjoy life programs, had that senior moved into an Independent Living stage of life – that crisis or health condition may have been averted, and they could enjoy the freedom of lifestyle that they really envisioned having in their later years.
The thought of sorting through decades of memories and belongings, packing them up and selling them or giving them away can also feel intimidating. But downsizing doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially if you take it step by step.
Many older adults report that downsizing is surprisingly freeing. You get to decide what truly matters to you, pass along meaningful items to loved ones, and then start fresh in a space that fits your current lifestyle.
The best part is you’re the one in control. By planning ahead, you get to choose your community and move on your terms, not during a crisis when decisions are rushed.
Picture This: Bring your favorite armchair, quilts, photos and plants to make your apartment feel like home. Share cherished keepsakes with loved ones and watch them enjoy them.
Myth 5: Assisted Living is too expensive
It’s true that Assisted Living is a financial investment. But when you look closely, it often makes sense. At home, you were paying for property taxes, insurance, utilities, groceries, home maintenance, and yard care/home maintenance. Add in the cost of home health care or future renovations to make your house safer, and the numbers add up quickly.
There are also other perks you may not even think about. You may go from a detached garage situation to an underground parking garage; that sounds lovely on those rainy or wintery days. You leave behind the unexpected home disasters like flooded basements, downed trees, and the replacement costs of roofs and mechanical equipment.
Perhaps you are looking at making home renovations to enable you to live safely in your own house (ramps, chair lifts, grab bars, adaptive bathrooms). These can be expensive and may not be a good return on investment when it is time to sell.
Then there are the benefits that you can’t put a price on, but have inherent high value like socialization, friendships, the camaraderie of your peers, and the safety of having staff and maintenance seven days a week.
Social clubs, learning seminars, outings, onsite gardens, libraries, and don’t forget about the happy hours! At Capri and other Assisted Living communities, we know how to throw great parties and have fun – who can put a price on fun and friendship!
In all seriousness, when you consider the expertise of operations, meal and entertainment inclusions, and the 24-hour presence of staff or access to staff that surround you in the community, senior living can be a very affordable option.
In a 2025 study, these are the average costs of using home health care services vs living in a supportive senior living community:
- Assisted Living 24 hrs./day = $5,900/month
- Home Health 8 hours/day = $6,500/month
- Home Health with overnight = $12,000 – $20,000/month
Trying to manage your “independent” lifestyle at home can have significant incremental costs to your pocketbook and your quality of life that are challenging to quantify.
Picture This:
You pay one bill and have access to meals in the dining room, a gym and a pool, educational classes, movie nights, and more.
The Bottom Line
Assisted Living isn’t losing independence; it is gaining freedom, support and opportunities to enjoy life. You’ll still have your own space. Plus, you get to make new friends, and have the added comfort of knowing help is there if you need it.
If you’ve been holding back because of one of these myths, maybe it’s time to take a second look. Schedule a visit to a Capri Community. Talk with the residents and see for yourself what Assisted Living is really like. You might be surprised and discover that a move to Assisted Living is exactly what you need.