Independent Living in Michigan

Michigan Senior Living and Care

A natural part of living is aging. As our bodies and minds begin to get slower and slower as we get older, this makes completing the tasks of everyday life harder. Thankfully, to pick up the slack, there are plenty of Michigan senior living facilities.

What Makes Michigan Great?

Located in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern part of the country, Michigan is the ninth most populous state in the United States with about 9.9 million inhabitants. Michigan consists of two peninsulas, the Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula, which are connected by the Mackinac Bridge and bound by four of the five Great Lakes. Plus, the state has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision on the planet. The capital of Michigan is Lansing, and the largest city is Detroit.

Tourism is a major driver of Michigan's economy with thousands of miles of beaches. The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City and the Tulip Time Festival in Holland also attract large crowds. In the summer, Mackinac Island is a popular destination. In Detroit, top attractions are Greektown, the Detroit Zoo, and games for Detroit's teams in all four of the major professional sports leagues.

What Do Older Adults Like about Michigan?

Michigan has a large senior population with about 27 percent of the state's residents 55 years of age or older. Golden agers are attracted to the reasonable tax rates and the low cost of living. On average, Michigan residents spend eleven percent less for goods and services than the rest of the country. In fact, housing, groceries, health care, and other miscellaneous expenses are all cheaper here. This makes it the ideal place for retired people who are trying to make ends meet with social security and pension checks.

There are several top quality hospitals in Michigan. The largest one is the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak with more than a thousand beds. There are two other Level I trauma centers in the Detroit metro area: Henry Ford Hospital and Detroit Receiving Hospital. Lansing's Sparrow Hospital, Grand Rapids' Spectrum Health - Butterworth Hospital, Flint's Hurley Medical Center, and Ann Arbor's University of Michigan Health System are the other Level I trauma centers in the state.

Varieties of Senior Living in Michigan

There are many different kinds of senior living in Michigan based on the degree of care a golden ager requires. Convalescent older adults and those with chronic or long term illnesses will find the most appropriate option is skilled nursing facilities, also called nursing homes. These state licensed facilities provide nursing care around the clock, room and board, and access to occupational, physical, and other rehabilitative therapies.

The ideal combination of freedom and onsite health care is found in assisted living communities, or assisted living facilities. They promote the involvement of family and close friends while maintaining a philosophy of encouraging independence and dignity in aging. Assisted living communities offer older adults recreational activities, personal care services, and their own semi-private or private suites or rooms.

In adult day services, commonly referred to as adult day care centers, seniors can get additional companionship and care when their primary caretakers have to go to work or must be away from the house for other reasons during the day. These facilities supply health care, social activities, and general supervision throughout the day.

The freest form of senior living in Michigan is independent living. It is designed for retired people who can mostly care for themselves and are still quite active. They offer golden agers recreational activities that encourage socialization long with their own cottages or senior apartments. In addition, residents have a full menu of services to choose from. Congregate housing is the better independent living alternative for those who need more care.

The needs of older adults with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and other types of chronic memory loss are met in memory care, or Alzheimer's care. Continuing care retirement communities offer all of the above types of Michigan senior living in one spot to give golden agers a consistent atmosphere in which to age.

Michigan is home to sixteen Area Agencies on Aging. These organizations are experts on all aspects of aging. Their goals is to keep seniors active, healthy, and safe. With the sizable older population, the low cost of living, and the wide range of attractions, Michigan is the ideal place for those seeking senior living.