South Dakota Senior Living

Jewish assisted living facilities in South Dakota may be challenging to find, but there are assisted living options for faithful seniors that are in need of a bit of care. There are Jewish communities in Sioux Fall, Rapid City and Aberdeen, South Dakota that are also home to some well-respected assisted living facilities, and that could provide seniors with the care they need, and access to the spiritual support they are hoping to find.

Cost of Jewish Assisted Living in South Dakota

While the national average rate for Jewish assisted living facilities on a national level is right about $4,000 per month, assisted living centers in South Dakota come in at $3,500, and never top the national average. Rates don’t vary very much either. Sioux Falls is the most economical destination in the state with an average rate of $3,300+. Rapid City is the least economical, at $3,900+ per month. So again, rates are in a very tight band that allows seniors to worry less about prices and focus more on the Jewish values and the quality of the care these Jewish assisted living centers have to offer.

Jewish Assisted Living Communities in South Dakota - Amenities

Jewish seniors that are transitioning from independent to assisted living may also be transitioning from the Jewish community where they have been a member of the congregation. That means they will potentially need to make two major adjustments that can be stressful.

If there were a truly Jewish assisted living facility they could transition into, that would certainly make things easier, but there are none available. The next best option will be to find an assisted living facility that allows them to easily remain active in the congregation that currently welcomes them. With this approach, seniors will find a good number of options they will know and be comfortable with.

Jewish Retirement Communities in South Dakota - Religious Amenities

In every active Jewish community, there is the synagogue that acts as the religious anchor for the faithful. More than just the weekly Shabbat services, this is their home away from home where friends and family gather to celebrate life, console each other in times of trouble, work with each other to support the community and help each other remain true to their faith. A simple chapel in an assisted living center helps but it is no substitute for a proper synagogue and religious community.

Rabbis also play a critically important role in these Jewish communities. They give these communities a measure of personality that makes each one just a bit unique. Rabbis are teachers and counselors. They are at the center of every major celebration and the consoling force that helps bring member of the congregation through time of crisis. Some assisted living facilities will have Rabbis and other non-denominational pastors available in their respective living centers, but that doesn’t eliminate the need for faithful seniors to have a trusting relationship with their Rabbi.

Being a faithful Jew comes with the recognition that we are all created equal and that means we are all imperfect beings. Even the best of us can stray from God’s righteous path and need help to find their way back into the redeeming light of the Lord. A Jewish community, with its focus on atonement, understands this basic truth and offers the congregation many ways to atone that are meaningful and healing for the soul.

The biggest challenge for Jewish seniors may be to remain true to their kosher diet. In a Jewish assisted living facility, the center will have a certified kitchen and trained staff that are capable of meeting these requirements. In secular living centers, seniors will have to look elsewhere for this support, and as they would have done when living independently, they may have to prepare many of their own meals. They should check first though to see what support the assisted living center will be able to provide and what support the local Jewish community may be able to offer.

Jewish Assisted Living in South Dakota - General Amenities

If the first steps a senior takes when they get out of bed in the morning are on wobbly legs and accompanied by groans and moans, it may be time to a bit of help. If getting from one place to another becomes a risky business of trying to avoid tripping and falling, help is needed. If the idea of trying to enjoy a bowl of soup, with hands that refuse to remain steady, is a nightmare, having a bit of help is something to be considered. While all of these things are challenging and could lead to serious doubts about one’s mortality, they can also be eased with a bit of a helping hand so life can continue to be active and fulfilling.

This is what daily assisted living care, (ADL’s), is all about. Caregivers provide direct assistance with daily hygiene (bathing, grooming dressing), and a steady hand so seniors can remain confidently mobile. And, soup can return to the menu with a helping hand to eat without embarrassment. Medications are managed and that helps improve medical outcomes. Health is also monitored so issues can be caught and addressed early. With these simple bits of help, seniors can stop worrying about the challenges and get back to focusing on enjoying life.

Memory care, for those suffering with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, is layer on top of the ADL’s and is designed to help these seniors get back to some measure or normalcy. This starts with providing residents with a living space that is safer and more secure. These spaces are also better organized and less distracting. In these spaces, therapies that can help recover lost memories can be delivered effectively and seniors can get back to feeling connected to the world and their loved ones.

Living actively benefits everyone and that requires some creative thinking on the part of community managers. These folks get to know their residents. They learn what they like and don’t like. They learn about the things they’ve always loved doing and about things they’ve always dreamed of trying. Then they create activities that touch all of this, so seniors have something great to look forward to each and every day. These activities often include hands-on classes, craft programs, workshops for woodworking, opportunities to garden, time for entertainment and games, lots of different types of entertainment and plenty of opportunities to just sit in social groups and enjoy stimulating conversations and a few good laughs.

Food is about more than just sustenance. Meals should be an enjoyable experience, that is shared with family and friends. It should be full of great tastes and help stimulate great memories. This is what happens three times a day, every day, in these assisted living facilities, where professional chefs bring great food to the table, to be enjoyed.

When seniors transition into an assisted living facility, they will also be downsizing their living space, but that doesn’t mean they are going to give up privacy. They will be able to choose from a group of private apartments, they can add their own personal touches to, so they become their new home within the assisted living centers. Apartments in assisted living centers normally include studio and one-bedroom suites. They may also offer two-bedroom apartments that can be shared by two family member or friends.

If you are looking for Jewish assisted living in South Dakota, give us a call to speak to a local senior living adviser.