Many people never have contact with an assisted living community until such time as their loved one needs placement. For many, this means they are trying to make the decision about where to place mom, dad, aunt, uncle, etc., while also trying to deal with emotions that come from the realization that they can no longer care for that person on their own. This blog will attempt to provide some education on some of the different types of facilities so you can "know before you go."
We will start with the form of senior care that is most known, which is nursing homes. Back in the 80s (or at least while I was growing up), the term nursing home had a negative connotation. Maybe it was because I was young, but when I went with my grandmother to help her with bulletin boards or entertainment, I always tried to stay close to her because the environment felt cold, it smelled funny, and the residents didn't look like they were very happy to be there. While the layout is still very similar, with the hospital-style beds, shared rooms, and communal dining, the ambiance has seemed to warm somewhat over the years. However, the main goal of a nursing home is to provide long-term medical care for someone who can not live on their own. Nursing homes do not generally offer a wide array of activities as many of the residents would not be able to participate. The biggest thing to consider with a nursing home is that they can provide a higher level of medical attention than an assisted living community. The nursing home may also be more medically feesible depending on the need as the costs can be billed to health insurance and/or Medicare/Medicaid, while an assisted living facility cannot be billed to insurance, and only partial coverage is provided by Medicaid.
The next option we will examine is the health and rehabilitation facility. This can provide short-term or long-term care, again depending on the need. It is most often utilized for the recovery period after something such as surgery, accident, stroke, heart attack or the like. Many different types of therapy are offered at this facility, including physical, occupational and speech. Someone who enters the care of a rehabilitation facility is usually referred by a hospital after the patient has received initial treatment for their ailment but is not yet ready to go home. The costs of the care can be covered by insurance or government health care if the goal of the care is the overall health of the patient.
We will cover both assisted and independent living in this section, because often times a community will offer both options for potential residents. With an assisted living facility, a resident can still live a somewhat independent lifestyle, but there is someone there for them who will help when they can't complete their regular tasks. For instance, the resident can have their own room or apartment, or possibly a roommate if they prefer, so they have their own space and can bring their own belongings. But the community will take care of daily tasks like housekeeping and meal preparation. Services are offered including grooming, medication administration, memory care, and laundry just to name a few. There are shared common areas for eating and activities, and many communities will offer outings off-site with the use of a bus. There is additional surveillance and security, and depending on the level of care, it may even be enclosed with a key or passcode required for exit or entry. This is especially true of memory care facilities. With independent living, it is more of an adult community where residents may reside in apartments or villas. They do have common areas the resident can choose to utilize and partake in activities, but they also have the freedom to come and go as they please, so they may take part in activities off-site. Many of these residents still use their own vehicles, and if the community is gated, it is not to try to keep residents from exiting. It is the same level of protection as a gated community in a residential neighborhood. Services are offered in an independent living community, but do not have to be utilized. One of the great things about these communities is many of them offer an age-in-place option. While someone may start out in independent living, as their needs increase, they transition to assisted living. They would then be able to allow home health to come in when their medical needs increase, and eventually hospice when they are nearing the end of life.
I have been blessed to be able to tour many of our local communities and facilities, and am thrilled with the options for senior living. In fact, there are many places I half-jokingly ask how old you have to be to live there. The communities are beautiful, offer a wide array of activities and amenities, and all have their own unique niche. It is very important when you are considering a place for your loved one to actually go to the site you are considering and take a tour. Take a look at the facility. Is it what your loved one would feel comfortable with? Do the residents look happy? Is it clean? Would you live there?
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