The decision to move into a retirement home is often shaped by far more emotion than may be apparent at first.
Families are not only thinking about the quality of healthcare, where the home is located or how much accommodation costs. They are often also faced with deeply rooted ideas about what it means to be a “good child”, whether a parent should remain in their own home at all costs, and whether moving into a retirement home means the family has abandoned them.
Such thoughts are not unusual.
For generations, it was generally assumed that older family members would remain at home and that the family would care for them themselves. However, lifestyles have changed. People work longer hours, family members often no longer live together, and an older person’s needs can sometimes reach a point where a few hours of help each day are no longer enough.
That is why it is important to separate facts from misconceptions.
Moving into a retirement home means the family has given up on the older person
This is probably one of the most common and most painful misconceptions.
The decision to choose a retirement home is often made precisely because the family is no longer confident that it can provide the level of support needed at home.
An older person may need help getting up, dressing, maintaining personal hygiene, taking medication or preparing meals. Some people need only occasional supervision, while others require much more daily support.
A family may have the best intentions in the world, but good intentions do not automatically mean they have enough time, professional knowledge or physical capacity to organise all the care that is needed.
In such circumstances, choosing a good retirement home may in fact be an expression of responsibility.
Moving into a retirement home does not end the relationship with the family. Visits, conversations, time spent together and involvement in important decisions remain just as important.
What changes is simply the way everyday care is organised.
A retirement home is a cold and depressing place
Many people still imagine a retirement home as a large, impersonal institution with long corridors and an atmosphere resembling a hospital.
That image often comes from experiences and stories belonging to a very different time.
Modern retirement homes can look very different.
In addition to accommodation, residents may have access to shared lounges, living areas, a library, activity rooms, gardens, terraces and other facilities that form part of everyday life.
Of course, not all retirement homes are the same.
That is why it is important for the family to visit a home in person before making a decision.
Photographs on a website can show you what the surroundings look like, but only during a visit can you experience the atmosphere, see how staff speak to residents and understand what an ordinary day at the home actually looks like.
Explore Dom Zlatnik →An older person is always better off at home
Familiar surroundings have enormous value.
For many older people, their flat or house represents security, memories and a sense of independence. If a person can live safely at home with appropriate support, there is no reason to claim that a retirement home is automatically the better option.
The problem arises when independent living is no longer sufficiently safe or becomes extremely difficult.
Stairs without a lift, a bathroom not adapted for reduced mobility, the risk of falling, forgetting medication, irregular meals or long periods spent completely alone can seriously affect quality of life.
So the right question is not:
“Is staying at home better than living in a retirement home?”
But rather:
“In which environment will this particular person currently have a better, safer and more fulfilling life?”
The answer will not be the same for everyone.
An older person loses their freedom in a retirement home
Moving into a retirement home certainly means a change of routine and surroundings, but it should not mean losing dignity, privacy or the right to make personal choices.
Residents differ in their health and level of independence.
Some can organise their day almost entirely independently, while others need assistance or supervision with mobility and other activities.
A good retirement home seeks to find a balance between two important needs:
residents’ safety and independence.
The aim should not be to restrict a person more than necessary, but to enable them to maintain the greatest possible level of independence, with support provided where it is genuinely needed.
A person will be lonely in a retirement home
Loneliness is a major issue in later life — and very often affects people who live alone in their own home.
Family may visit several times a week and neighbours may occasionally call in, but a person can still spend much of the day alone.
In a retirement home, the situation is different because there is daily contact with other people.
There are other residents, members of staff, shared meals and a range of activities.
Of course, not everyone will want to participate in every activity. Some people enjoy company, while others need more peace and privacy.
What matters is having a choice.
At Dom Zlatnik retirement home in Zemun residents have access to a variety of facilities and activities, as well as spaces for socialising and spending their free time. Shared gatherings, celebrations of important occasions and other activities are organised according to residents’ interests and abilities.
For many older people, this kind of social life can represent a significant change compared with periods of loneliness they may previously have experienced at home.
Everyone follows the same routine in a retirement home
People do not become identical simply because they are roughly the same age.
One resident may like to get up early, while another prefers to sleep longer. One person wants company and activities, while another prefers a book and some peace and quiet. One resident may need a high level of support, while another remains highly independent.
That is why a good retirement home should not operate according to a “one size fits all” approach.
Good care means getting to know the resident, their habits, health, interests and individual needs.
This applies to everyday activities, nutrition, the level of assistance provided and the way staff communicate.
The more individual the approach, the greater the chance that a person will feel safe and accepted in their new environment more quickly.
The family is no longer needed once a person moves into a retirement home
Quite the opposite.
The staff can take responsibility for much of the everyday care, but they cannot and should not replace the family.
Parents, children, grandchildren, friends and other close people remain an important part of a resident’s life.
The difference is that time spent together no longer has to be devoted almost entirely to practical responsibilities — shopping, cooking, medication, cleaning or organising care.
Families can once again spend more of their time talking, walking, socialising and doing the things that define their relationship.
For many families, that is one of the greatest sources of relief.
How can misconceptions about retirement homes be overcome?
The best approach is very simple:
Do not make your decision based only on what you may once have heard about retirement homes.
Visit the home you are considering.
Look at the rooms and shared spaces. Speak to the staff. Ask about care, nutrition, activities and everyday organisation. Pay attention to how staff interact with residents and to the overall atmosphere.
If the future resident’s health allows it, involve them in the decision as well.
After all, they are the person who will be living there.
A good retirement home should not replace the family or take away the life an older person has previously led.
Its role is to provide what is needed at a particular stage of life: security, support, care, companionship and the conditions for the best possible quality of everyday life .
How to Choose the Right Retirement Home →The decision should be based on needs, not misconceptions
If you are considering residential care for yourself or someone close to you, the best way to form a realistic impression is to visit the home in person.
At Dom Zlatnik retirement home in Zemun, you can explore the surroundings, see how everyday life is organised, learn about the available facilities and meet the team that supports residents.
Ask the questions that matter to you and consider whether this kind of environment meets the needs of the person for whom you are seeking accommodation.
Because the decision about a retirement home should not be made on the basis of misconceptions — either for or against.
It should be based on where the older person can achieve the best possible quality of life in their particular circumstances .
