Moving into a new home is usually exciting, but it can sometimes prove emotionally challenging. The process involves abandoning parts of your past—and leaving a place where you made countless memories. Moving to an assisted living facility can be additionally tricky because it means acknowledging that we're getting older and that we might require help with certain activities.

In the early 1990s, Bill and Julie Thomas began developing a new approach to elder care. Their cutting-edge method, now known as The Eden Alternative, gave nursing home residents greater privacy, independence, and control over their lives. With the goal to improve the wellbeing of older adults, The Eden Alternative aims to eliminate what Bill Thomas calls the “three plagues” commonly found in senior living facilities: loneliness, helplessness, and boredom.

Are residents of assisted living facilities forced to leave their homes when they run out of money? Are a facility’s policy decisions based on bottom-line financial results or what’s best for the residents? Answers to those questions could depend on whether the assisted living community is a for-profit or nonprofit organization.

Most senior care facilities set and follow strict itineraries, with prescribed regimens for everything from bedtime to mealtimes. But Sunset Communities subscribes to The Eden Alternative, an approach that actually encourages residents to make their own choices about their daily lives.

Here’s an interesting quandary: while experts estimate that today’s retirees face a 69 percent future risk of needing long-term care, six in 10 middle-aged adults consider themselves unlikely to ever require assistance living their lives. Those numbers indicate that aging adults are overly optimistic about their future living needs—and their confidence is causing many to postpone or forgo planning for long-term care.

This is a magical time at Sunset Communities, as we watch families reunite to celebrate the holidays. Of course, we also see the stress that the season’s hustle and bustle can cause among our residents. So if you’re planning to visit someone living at Sunset this season—or inviting an elderly loved one to your home holiday gathering—here are some suggestions for keeping the holidays merry.

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month, a time for acknowledging all those affected by Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

If you’ve been considering moving to an assisted living community, autumn is an ideal time to act. With winter fast approaching, settling into one of Sunset’s living communities holds a special appeal to anyone wishing to avoid the frigid, snowy hassles that accompany the season’s arrival.

For many older adults, transitioning from home to assisted or supported living involves making tough decisions. More often than not, affordability is the most important consideration. When it comes to comparing costs between options—moving to a skilled nursing facility versus an independent living community, for example—understanding the various charges involved is critical to making informed decisions.

Do you understand the difference between Active Living and Assisted Living? Do you know how a Continuing Care Community differs from a Nursing Home? Unless you’ve been around the senior housing industry for a while, you’re likely to be confused about all the various care alternatives available. Just learning the different names from one living option to the next can seem overwhelming. So, if you’re setting out to research living options for a loved one, learning the terminology is always a good place to begin.