An assisted living home or senior care facility is usually a residential housing facility intended for those with certain disabilities or especially for senior adults who can’t or choose not to live on their own. It can be an apartment, condominium, rental home or even a home owned by the facility. In most cases, senior care homes offer personalized and dedicated care by a professional staff to meet the needs of their residents. In short, it is like putting a whole new generation in home with the old folks.
Assisted living facilities provide different types of services to their residents such as assistance with daily living activities, medical assistance, housekeeping, laundry and meals preparation and transportation. There are also services such as housekeeping, meal preparation, grooming, laundry and dressing assistance. The services are usually coordinated with the needs of the senior citizens according to their preferences. These facilities also include emotional support, recreation, communication aids and socializing opportunities for its residents. There are also independent living aids, including transportation aides, walkers, canes, shopping bags and shopping Carts.
Seniors in an assisted living facility have a lot to look forward to. They get to enjoy recreational activities such as walks and hikes, exercise classes and crafts and educational programs. They can also learn to cook, participate in activities that interest them, and read. If they have some trouble with mobility, they can still do most of the things they enjoyed before the condition got worse. One of the advantages of this setup is that its residents are not forced to give up their favorite hobbies and other activities they enjoy doing. On the contrary, they still get to pursue the things they love doing.
Apart from the regular assisted living costs, there are other expenses one has to consider. One factor is the cost of bathing. Since these facilities offer a full-fledged tub, it is expected that there will be a monthly or annual cost of bathing. The frequency of the bathing depends on the senior’s preference but a senior with incontinence will require more frequent bathing sessions to prevent urinary leakage. For this reason, one community may charge more than the other for the same bathing session.
Another expense is personal care. Personal care refers to the care provided to the residents by trained and experienced volunteers who come to them at their homes, especially when they are sick or during the holidays. There are facilities that provide home-like services like cooking and housekeeping while another may provide personalized care by a professional caregiver. This is one area where the cost differs from assisted living to nursing home since the latter provides the personal care is personalized.
Another aspect is independence. This is important because seniors are already at a higher risk of physical disability if they become ill or are bedridden. A skilled aide can be hired to assist the senior in carrying out their normal day to day activities. In assisted living, the resident does not have the ability to do much for himself aside from sleeping and eating. This causes independence to become a challenge for seniors in the later years especially those who are bedridden.
Assisted living is often the best choice for seniors when it comes to choosing an elder care option. There are several advantages including independence and affordability. In addition, seniors have the freedom to make some choices regarding their personal care and can choose to get help from professionals like nurses and home healthcare aides. For family members who live in the home, they still get to participate in the senior’s daily living activities and can take part in family activities such as visiting, going for walks, and other times with the senior being self-sufficient.
Many assisted living communities provide various senior care facility services. These services include, but not limited to: adult day care services, assisted living apartment services, and respite care services. Some of these services are offered by the community and others are provided by an outside agency. Most communities require that the residents be of legal age and are in need of extra assistance with daily activities. There may be additional fees involved, so be sure to find out all the details.