Are you considering home care or assisted living for your loved one? The first step is to list what your loved one needs daily, weekly, and monthly. Be realistic about how much you or other family members can help.
Assisted living communities provide housing, meals, and support services in an apartment-style setting. They are also typically cheaper than nursing homes.
Costs
Families and seniors face many difficult decisions when choosing senior care options. Whether they choose assisted living or home care, they have to weigh personal and financial factors when making this decision.
Generally, assisted living communities cost more than in-home care. However, ways to help your family reduce costs include negotiating discounts and determining additional funding sources for consideration.
When researching assisted living costs, it’s important to ask each facility for a list of all potential fees on top of the base monthly rate. This will give you a clearer picture of your loved one’s monthly costs. Additionally, you can visit their website to compare state-by-state prices. This information lets you decide what type of senior care will be best for your loved one.
Benefits
When researching options for your aging loved one, asking many questions is crucial. This will help you understand each option’s full range of costs and benefits.
Home care is typically less expensive than assisted living. If your aging loved one isn’t independent enough to live alone but is not quite ready for a nursing home, home care may be an ideal solution.
Assisted living communities are created to ensure the safety of senior citizens while offering 24/7 assistance. The monthly cost may cover meals, transportation, and group activities. Visiting potential assisted living facilities and asking specific questions is advisable to understand these options better. It’s important to compare the list of needed tasks for each option and note any additional care services that aren’t covered. By looking at both lists, it should become apparent which one will work best for your aging loved ones.
Respite
Taking care of a loved one full-time can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Respite care is a vital service for family caregivers, helping them to avoid burnout. Research shows that respite caregivers enjoy better health and can effectively handle long-term caregiving responsibilities.
For the elderly or disabled loved one, respite can offer a much-needed change of scenery and social interactions. They may also benefit from having someone new take care of them, helping to remove feelings of being a burden on their families. Family caregivers will also reap the benefits of respite care, participating in activities they enjoy or shopping. They can visit friends or spend time with their children while a professional consider their loved one in an assisted living home or at a center-based day respite care facility. This helps them to create a healthy life balance, preventing stress that can lead to bad habits such as drinking or smoking.
Socialization
Mingling with peers helps seniors maintain their social and emotional health. It also boosts the immune system, reducing stress and promoting a positive outlook. In contrast, isolation can weaken the immune system and make seniors more prone to sickness.
Assisted living facilities are designed to keep seniors safe and secure with accessible elderly-friendly housing and 24-hour personal care services. They also offer group activities like bingo, holiday parties, art classes, and trips to fulfill social needs.
If you’re struggling to determine what type of care is best for your elderly loved one, ask family and friends for recommendations. Schedule tours of senior communities and note any issues or concerns you encounter. It’s also good to compare costs and see which option is more affordable.
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