Getting older brings with it a long list of challenges, from housing options to aging in place to access to healthcare, transportation and companionship. Often, when a person becomes incapacitated or less mobile, quality of life suffers dramatically, especially if their finances are limited or they do not have a family member in the immediate area to look after them and check on their well-being.
Fortunately, Arkansas is replete with organizations and resources to help seniors navigate the latter stages of life and address the needs that come with it. For instance, many senior living communities now offer therapeutic services and care not just for their full-time permanent residents but for seniors in the community needing short-stay medical options to recuperate from surgery or other health procedures.
“That trend actually started between 10 and 15 years ago,” said Rachel Bunch, executive director of the Arkansas Health Care Association. “It started in just a small handful of communities, and now Arkansas has over 200 facilities in the state that offer long-term care and also speech, physical and occupational therapy in-house.
“Having more than 200 facilities now that do that, people are generally finding therapy options closer to home. People who live in south Arkansas, for instance, if they got surgery in Little Rock, used to have to stay in Little Rock for therapy. Now they can go back home for those services.”…