Martin, a 76-year-old, was fiercely independent. He’d always done things his way, and he wasn’t about to give up the reins to someone else. The challenge for Martin’s family was that he wasn’t keeping up with what needed to be done when it came to meal preparation, taking his meds as he should, and his personal cleanliness had dropped off considerably.
Understandably, Martin’s family was concerned. They knew that Martin didn’t need someone to do everything for him, but he did need help getting through the day. However, the adult members of the family all worked and had outside obligations, and suffered from feelings of guilt that they weren’t there for Martin as much as he needed them to be.
Martin’s family was at a crossroads. Should they bring someone in to care for him at home, or should he be moved to an assisted living facility?
Perhaps your family is in a similar situation. You’re evaluating your options to find the best solution for your loved one’s benefit and your family’s well-being. You want everyone to feel good about this important decision.
This article is designed to help you down the path towards making the best decision for everyone concerned. First, let’s take a quick look at what assisted living and home care offer.
Assisted Living Facility or Home Care?
Assisted Living
As the name implies, assisted living primarily assists self-sufficient adults with basic tasks, like meal preparation, bathing, grooming, and providing social interaction with other residents. Therefore, it works best for individuals who enjoy living in a group environment and are comfortable with the idea of having a roommate.
At an assisted living facility, the level of care can be ramped up as needed. However, it’s important to note that care at an assisted living facility does not include skilled nursing care – that is available in a nursing home.
Home Care
Home care is for seniors that want, and are capable, of staying in their home or a relative’s home as they age. Home is the most comfortable and safest place in the world to them, and even the thought of being moved produces great anxiety.
Home care also benefits seniors who don’t need around-the-clock care, though that is available if desired. A home care aide will assist the client with meal preparation, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring from room to room, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and more. The level of care is highly flexible depending upon the needs of the senior and can be modified at any time.
While assisted living provides access to group activities, home care builds strong one-on-one personal relationships. Caregivers and seniors grow closer over time as they go through the day together, and an aide becomes someone the senior looks forward to spending time and talking with every day.
Home care also does not include nursing care. However, there are home health care agencies that do provide in-home nursing services.
How Much Help Do They Need?
Answering this question often helps people decide whether home care or assisted living would be best for their loved one. If they need and want personalized care, they want to stay at home, and they value their privacy, home care is often the best option.
If the senior prefers to receive assistance in a group setting and is comfortable frequently being attended to by new staff members because of turnover, assisted living should be carefully considered.
Personalized Care By First In Care
First In Care can help you make your decision by providing you with complete information about home care, but the decision will be entirely yours. If you decide to start with home care, we’ll thoroughly review your loved one’s situation and select a caregiver who will meet their specific needs. Our supervisors will follow up any time changes in the level of care are needed to ensure they’re implemented correctly and that your loved one is happy with their caregiver.
Contact us today for a free in-home consultation. We’ll give you an honest assessment and let you know how we can help with affordable home care or advise you if we feel that an assisted living facility or nursing home is a better option.
We’re committed to helping families by meeting the needs of their loved ones with skill and compassion.