What is Assisted Living Care?

Assisted living facilities offer healthcare to those who wish to live without loss to their quality of life. Older citizens now have options for the type of assisted living services offered to them.

What Exactly Does Assisted Living Mean?

The biggest fear aging adults have is losing the quality of life they are accustomed to. The majority of persons aging 85 and over are receiving some type of help with activities of daily living. However, moving into one of these care homes doesn’t have to mean the end of freedom and independence. Admitting you need help with certain activities can free you to do more of the things you love.

What is the Difference Between Assisted Living and a Nursing Home?

Assisted living and nursing homes are two types of care homes. Both offer levels of care and support to the residents. Assisted living is a long-term care facility offering personal and health care services. They are both designed to assist people, typically seniors, with healthcare and activities of daily living. Assisted living facilities are designed to provide healthcare and daily assistance to assisted living residents. A nursing home is a skilled nursing facility providing personal care and medical services to individuals needing 24/7 care. Nursing homes have a trained staff that offers its residents levels of care to support their health and safety.

What are the Different Levels of Assisted Living?

Assisted living offers a variety of health and personal care levels for each resident. These come in the following forms– personal and residential care. These care homes and communities offer their residents the levels of care and support for their health and safety. Some of the levels of care provided by assisted living facilities include residential, skilled, memory care, and rehabilitation care services. Nursing homes offer more intense healthcare and 24-hour support.

What are the Characteristics of Assisted Living Communities?

The most popular characteristics of assisted living facilities include:

  • 24-hour support
  • Assistance with activities of daily living
  • A skilled nursing staff for continued medical care
  • Medication management
    Bathing, dressing, and three meals a day
  • Long term care assistance

The above characteristics are just a  few of the things to ensure what assisted living facilities can offer. Most importantly, you want the peace of mind in knowing your loved one is getting the best senior care possible.

What Defines Assisted Living?

Many confuse assisted living and nursing homes. Although both are options for senior living and senior care they are not the same. Assisted living facilities residents receive help with activities of daily living such as grooming, toileting, dressing, medication reminders, and dressing. This type of housing offers the extra nursing care required as well as skilled nursing care for those in need.

What is a Nursing Home?

A nursing home is a skilled nursing facility (SNF) in which the individuals staying require 24-hours medical and personal care. A resident in a nursing home requires levels of care in excess of those in an assisted living facility. They require many assisted living care for the aging. This includes levels of care such as medical care, and even memory care.

Who Benefits from an Assisted Living Community?

Persons who best benefit from living assisted in a community are those needing assistance with activities of daily living. They are not in need of full-time nursing care but need extra personal care and support. Seniors who want to live an enjoyable, active lifestyle, but require some help with daily chores.

Who Benefits from a Nursing Home?

If your loved one is in need of 24-hour care, they need personal care services provided by a nursing home. If they are no longer capable of safely living alone they might benefit from a skilled nursing facility. In addition, a person needing extreme rehabilitation following an accident or serious operation will need a nursing home. Nursing homes provide the type of medical care that ensures your loved one has the best health care possible.

What are the Advantages of Assisted Living?

Residents of assisted living communities are capable of enjoying life more. Capable of independent living free of the burden of household chores or paying bills. Your loved one will receive three meals a day, as well as assistance with activities they find difficult to perform alone. It can be extremely difficult for some people to admit they need personal care. Individuals fear that assisted living means the end of independent living. However, this couldn’t be more wrong. Assisted living facilities offer a new form of independent living. It might mean saying goodbye to the familiar. Such as the family home, and other household memorabilia. However, starting life in senior living housing is the beginning of a new journey you can look forward to. The term “senior” doesn’t mean what it once did. Older adults in the 21st century are much more active. For this reason, an assisted living facility must be able to keep up with their active lifestyle. Assisted living facilities are ideal when it is time to find adequate senior housing for your aging loved one(s). To ensure the best possible medical care, assisted living or nursing homes are the best options for health care.

What is Assisted Living and how does it Work?

An assisted living facility has the all-important job of creating a lifestyle for aging adults that maintains their independent living. This senior housing option can also provide memory care and other forms of skilled nursing services available. Because of the variety of care these assisted living communities provide, residents are able to receive necessary personal care services. This holds true even if the level of care residents receive changes over time. Senior living in long-term care offers older adults the opportunity for independent living. Some of the services provided by an assisted living facility include:

  • ZHousekeeping services
  • ZThree meals a day
  • ZBathing, dressing
  • ZMedication management
  • ZSkilled nursing
  • ZTrained staff to offer assistance with daily activities

Besides the wide range of assistance provided, assisted living aids in managing mobility, memory care, and continence. When it’s time for a loved one to move to an assisted living community you will have peace of mind.

How Do You Know When It’s Time for Assisted Living?

Seniors in America are living healthier, longer lives. It is normal for these citizens to want to remain in their homes for as long as possible. We all want to live independently, yet, when this is not possible, there are senior housing options.

So how do you know when your loved one is in need of a nursing home or assisted living? One of the primary signs your aging loved one needs assisted living are when they exhibit feelings of loneliness/isolation. Chronic health issues like heart disease and dementia can be linked to a lack of community belonging. This can result in feelings of mortality, abusing prescription medication, and even smoking or drinking. Being a part of an assisted living community can help to alleviate these feelings of loneliness.

How does Assisted Living Homes Work?

Assisted living has the medical staff available to provide personalized, senior care your loved one requires. Over 70 million people aged 50 and over in America suffer from a medical condition considered to be chronic. Therefore, to aid with this crisis, senior living care communities have been designed. In addition to healthcare, assisted living also offers assistance with activities such as eliminating falling victim to financial scams. Aging adults sometimes find it difficult to make online payments. If there are increased calls from collectors, this could signal it’s time for a change in living arrangements. You don’t want them to end up losing all their hard-earned retirement savings to scammers.

Safer Living Environment

Assisted living is a great way to improve the quality of life for your loved one. They might need help with bathing, this is sometimes not easy to ask family members to help with. The members of our staff have been trained to provide a wide range of residential care. Assisted living provides not only alternative housing but also 24-hour nursing care. Assisted living and nursing facilities also provide a safe place to store memorabilia. As we age, we tend to collect items that hold treasured memories. To some, this might appear like hoarding and create a dangerous or unsanitary living environment. Care facilities provide an area for residents to safely store all their memories.

How Assisted Living Can Improve Your Loved One’s Future

This section will cover some more of the benefits of assisted living. How the choice to move into an assisted living community gives your loved one the hope of a brighter tomorrow. A senior living alone is at risk for feelings of depression, loneliness, and social isolation. When living in an adult housing community they are encouraged to take part in daily activities. Most assisted living homes have activity calendars for residents to take part in and enjoy. Encouraging them to do something new. Such as joining an exercise class, learning a new hobby, or even planning a trip to somewhere never traveled. Seniors choosing to move to elder care facilities avoid those feelings of loneliness and isolation. Learning staff members’ names and getting connected to others within their new community. Advancing their overall health and well being.

The Care Received is Both Compassionate & Professional

Staff members are trained to act in a professional, yet compassionate manner with all residents. They are aware that many are in need of assistance with activities such as bathing and dressing. Many of the daily activities others take for granted are difficult tasks for seniors. This is when residential care professionals are needed. To offer residents a wide range of assistance–from healthcare, meals, maintaining medication, even hygiene, and long-term care. Care facilities provide 24-hour assisted living services to their residents. Staff are instructed on how to provide personal care services in a manner that enhances safety, dignity, and privacy. Personal care services are given to each resident on a need basis. Human services review the health plan of residents to determine they receive the correct assistance to meet their needs. Some may require memory care services, while others require physical therapy. It doesn’t matter what each member of these care homes need; the overall goal is an improved quality of life. The residents never have to feel lonely or isolated. Whether they need assistance finding the right outfit or someone to listen to, everyone is treated like family here.

Assisted Living Facilities Don’t Mean the End of Independence

The biggest fear most seniors have about moving into a long-term care facility is losing their independence. Yet, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Although residents will receive help with daily living care, there will also be plenty of focus on fun. Senior care is much more than medicinal and long-term care.

Assisted living offers its residents a level of care that is customized. This care should not only be healthcare but also have some fun and independence included in the agenda. It’s common knowledge that in order to age well, one should be able to have fun. Living in care homes should support your background. Allowing you to live a free, confident, and enjoyable existence. Seniors living in a residential care community receive a level of care similar to what we would give our family. Residents receive three meals a day, as well as personal assistance to help them to live independently.

Residents Enjoy More of Their Own Time

Acquiring home ownership is the American dream for many; yet, it can be difficult as we age. Yardwork, home maintenance, and even housework is time-consuming and arduous, it doesn’t get any easier the older we get. Why not leave these chores to someone else? You can join a community that allows you to enjoy more free time. Assisted living or nursing homes enable you to embark on a hobby that was previously something you only dreamed of. Or, you can now plan that vacation of a lifetime to check off your “bucket list”. Living in adult care homes or nursing homes shouldn’t have to mean losing one’s independence. It can mean more freedom to do what the heart desires without any outside obligations.

What Happens in an Assisted Living Facility?

Cooking for one can be a chore when living alone. Therefore, many seniors do not eat three square meals a day. This lack of adequate meal plans is not good for their health. You will no longer have to worry about the health care of your loved one. Nor, whether that family member is eating healthy when in a senior living facility. Care facilities have on staff some of the most talented chefs to prepare nutritious and delicious meals. In addition, the dining areas of a nursing home are set up to provide a delightful mealtime experience. Chatting with friends and laughing over dessert. Residents are encouraged to invite their family members to our facility to share a meal and celebrate birthdays or holidays.

No More Worries About Transportation

We often worry about our aging relatives when it comes to their mode of transportation. Driving is not always safe for the elderly; yet in many cases, neither is public transportation. When your aged adult family member is living in a care facility, transportation won’t be an issue. Nursing homes ensure to provide all transportation (if needed) for the individuals residing there. Because this is a skilled nursing facility, there is no worry about rides to doctor appointments. If there are specialized healthcare services required, trusted drivers are available for safe transport. Gone are the days of shoveling the car out of a snowy driveway, or de-icing the windshield. Do not let your older adult relatives become victims of a tragic accident. Allow the qualified, trusted staff of a senior living establishment to do the driving.

Hope for a Promising Future

Human services are an important aspect of nursing homes and other senior living homes. Each person must have an individual health plan tailored to their needs. These plans are reviewed carefully to ensure they are up-to-date and accurate. This is done to make sure if there are any changes in health prompt action can be taken for diagnosis and treatment. The most important aspect of moving into an assisted living arrangement is the peace of mind it offers. Knowing that our elderly relatives are in a facility where they can live their days happy and content. We can rest easy knowing the health care of our loved one is secure. Thereby, ensuring they can go about their days without worry about their health.

How Much Does it Cost to Live in an Assisted Living Facility?

When calculating the costs to live in an assisted living facility, we must also look at what is provided. Not only is a room provided, it includes many amenities. Healthcare, skilled nursing care, three meals a day, transportation, and even entertainment. Therefore, when asking how much does it cost, one must also ask–how much is this all worth? Care homes can cost anywhere from $1000 to several thousand dollars a month. This cost depends on the amenities as well as the health of the elderly person. Is the person in need of memory care services? Some housing has an a la carte or tiered pricing which is determined by the level of care needed. In addition, the time required for activities of daily living (ADL) is also determined in these costs. For example, a resident might require medication management at fifteen minutes, dressing/bathing assistance is another thirty minutes. In addition, this same resident might also need fifteen minutes of physical therapy. This specialized care is determined at the state’s hourly rate for care. The costs might seem to be a lot; however, when you take into context all that is involved, it really isn’t that much.

Who Pays for Assisted Living Facility?

A lot of seniors believe Medicare will pay their assisted living costs. Medicare does continue to pay for medication and healthcare, unfortunately, assisted living is not covered. Another large percentage of older adults plan on using Social Security to pay for assisted living. Yet, the average Social Security allotment will only cover a portion of these costs. The majority of people will pay for assisted living out-of-pocket or through long-term care insurance. Another option is for the adult children to pick up a portion of the tab for assisted living. There is also assistance for seniors that fall in the lower-income brackets. Inquire within the state you live in regarding any possible waivers offered for senior communities. The state you live in has a guide for resources available through the medicaid program.

In Conclusion

Assisted living care facilities strive to provide the best healthcare services possible for their residents as well as giving them personalized care services that make their lives as worry-free as possible. When considering assisted living as an option for your loved one, ensure to do your homework. Check with other assisted living facilities to make sure the one you decide on has the best features.

The ideal caregiver relationships are those that create a bond between each resident and caregiver. This is done by getting to know the person on a personal basis, as opposed to how big-box facilities operate. If you are looking for assisted living facilities in Indiana, give us call a today!

The Lowell Assisted Living and Crown Point Assisted Living of Two Hearts Assisted Living want to ensure peace of mind for you and an ideal future for your loved one. You can always do a virtual tour before calling us! You may opt for a 360 virtual tour of our home or a personal tour by Janel. Another great way to see some of our activities and residents is by checking out our Facebook page!