If you or a loved one cannot fully function on their own, then you might have thought about finding an alternative residential solution. Here are some of your main choices and the benefits that each of them brings to the table
Home Care
If you want to pick the option that has less impact on day-to-day affairs, then home care is your best bet. In your basic home care plan, the individual in question will stay in their own home and continue to live there as normal. An expert caregiver will visit them frequently, as rarely as once or a week or as often as multiple times a day, to provide a wide variety of services. In some cases, they might even live with the individual, providing support at all times. Common duties of the caregiver include bathing and dressing the senior, buying groceries, picking up and administering medication, and transportation. This also tends to be the most expensive form of support, since it essentially narrows down the focus of the caregiver to a single patient. While other facilities allow a limited number of employees to be split up among many seniors, home care systems facilitate one on one interactions between caregivers and seniors.
Independent Living Communities
If the senior is willing to move, but is unwilling to sacrifice their independence, then an independent living community might be the perfect option. At these facilities, every senior has their own living space, though the entire complex is usually inhabited by seniors and staff. This ultimately makes it very easy for caregivers to provide their services, while still preserving some of the independence of the seniors. One of the big benefits that independent living communities offer over home care is that the senior will have many more opportunities to interact with their peers and individuals that have similar life experiences and health problems.
Assisted Living
If the senior cannot function very well on their own, then an assisted living facility is a safe choice. At these facilities, seniors will live in a large group, usually with several sharing each room. The day will have a loose schedule that allows seniors to eat together and interact frequently. Events are commonly set up to encourage socialization. If any senior does have a health problem, then staff will be able to immediately identify and handle the situation. If the same problem happened to a senior that is in home care or an independent living community, then the caretaker might not find the problem until its too late.
For more information, talk to an assisted living center.
Share22 December 2015
My mother had been living with my family for about four years before her health got so bad that I couldn't keep her in my home any longer. At that point, I really had no choice but to find a comfortable nursing home for her to move into. This wasn't an easy decision for me to make, but it was the only thing I could do to ensure she was getting the best care possible during her final days. I was pleased to find a wonderful nursing home that provided her with amenities that she could enjoy and a caring staff that would care for her. If you are second-thinking taking your loved one to a nursing home, stop and read my blog where you will find out how much good it can do for your loved one and yourself.
