Independent Living in Alabama

Alabama is nicknamed "The Heart of Dixie," and with good reason. It is arguably the best representation of the modern Southern lifestyle in the South. While cities like Birmingham, Mobile, and its state capital Montgomery has plenty of connections to its past through various historic and cultural touchstones, its transformation from an agricultural hub to a more diversified economy has demonstrated a penchant for moving forward. It is an ideal place to live for those who want a genuine Southern living experience, and this is especially true once the vast number of senior living spaces that are scattered throughout Alabama are taken into consideration.

Alabama at a Glance

Alabama officially became a state in 1819, roughly two years after its neighboring state Mississippi. It quickly became a hub of agriculture, particularly cotton - hence its nickname The Cotton State. These days, this state of about 4.8 million residents boasts a decidedly diverse landscape that ranges from steel production and aerospace to education and healthcare. What's more, cotton currently makes up just about 1% of Alabama's gross domestic product - another indicator of how the economic landscape has changed.

The state played key roles in both the Civil War in the 19th century and the Civil Rights movement some 100 years later, and various points of interest tied to both events can be found all over the state, particularly in some of the larger cities. This could be of particular interest to those that are interested in exploring the legacies of some of the country's most tumultuous periods.

Alabama's landscape is also filled with various quirks. For example, the state has about 1,300 miles of inland waterways, enough to give it the second largest inland waterway system in the country. There is a diverse range of elevation as well, from the flat lands near the Gulf of Mexico to the appearance of the Appalachian Mountains in the northeast. And even though the states along the Gulf aren't known for snow, the northern part of the state does get the occasional dust of snow flurries.

Alabama is also a place that is loaded with natural splendor, ranging from the tumbling waters at the Noccalula Falls in Gadsen to the stalactites and stalagmites found in Cathedral Caverns State Park located about 30 miles east of Huntsville. And the historic affects that are located throughout the state aren't just tied to the Civil War or the Civil Rights Movement. For instance, residents can travel to Tuscaloosa and see all that is left of the state's burned down former capitol building, which was in use as the capital before the honor was shifted to Montgomery in 1846.

Information on Alabama's Senior Living Facilities

In essence, the senior living communities that are found within Alabama's borders collectively operate on a platform of providing golden agers with a dignified living space built on as much freedom and independence as their body and mind allow. This provides golden agers with a way to enjoy life to its fullest capacity. These fully accredited venues are able to do achieve this goal primarily by allowing golden agers to live their lives as self-reliantly and as independently as possible without interfering with them unless it is medically necessary. In other words, if all is well in a seniors' lives, they will continue to let things be well.

That's not to say that these unique facilities are completely pushed off to the side. In fact, one of the strengths that these particular communities have is an ability to encourage senior residents to get to know each other in an environment that organically cultivates peer-to-peer interaction in a safe and secure environment. This kind of engagement has the potential to serve as the foundation for solid friendships and cherished bonds - important elements that could ultimately play a key role in the keeping seniors immersed in a healthy and active lifestyle.

Making Alabama a Sweet Home

The history of Alabama is reason alone to check out the state, as to explore its past is to get a firmer understanding of what the country was really like in various stages. But it is far from the only reason to explore its goodness. It is a state whose economic diversity singlehandedly destroys the myth of the state being somewhat simple in nature or even a state that is adverse to progress. It is also a state whose natural beauty may surprise those who aren't all that familiar with the Cotton State's charms. And for seniors, Alabama is a great state to live that is made an even greater place because of the senior living communities that are found here.