As you enter your golden years, it’s important to feel cared for and supported. Choosing the right healthcare option for you or your loved one is essential to staying healthy and happy for the years to come. Learn what each level of care entails, and how you can make a decision with confidence.
Types of Home-based Care
In-home care allows older adults to age in place while receiving needed care. If you are someone who is mostly independent, you can choose to hire an in-home caregiver a few days a week to assist with needed tasks. For those who do need extra assistance, caregivers are also available on a more frequent basis. An important note to consider is that ongoing in-home care can become pricy and lead to isolation in seniors, depending on their level of mobility.
Home Health Aids and Assistive Care
With this option, a home healthcare nurse will help you with everyday activities that may be a challenge. This includes things like bathing, getting dressed, cooking food, cleaning the house and other tasks required to stay healthy and safe. These caregivers typically live in-house. If 24-hour care is needed, 2-3 caregivers may rotate shifts.
Home-based Skilled Nursing
For those with chronic illnesses or injuries in need of constant care who want to continue living at home, home-based skilled nursing is an option. These nurses monitor the patient’s medical status and keep detailed records and are quick to notify relatives of any physical or emotional changes. Additionally, these nurses can also be responsible for providing wound care, ventilator care, and tube feedings, among a myriad of other medical tasks.
Home Health Care
This type of care is more short-term and is intended for those who need physician-directed rehabilitation or preventative care. With this type of home care, a nurse aid will visit you daily or multiple times a day to deliver whatever medical-related help is needed for recovery.
Health Care from a Senior Life Community
When more long-term care is needed, senior living communities tend to be a more cost-effective option for most. In addition to housing, these communities can also provide a variety of specialized care that may not be available with in-home options. Depending on the senior life community you choose, all of these options may even be available on-campus. That means if needs change, residents don’t have to worry about leaving their life behind for more specialized care.
Assisted Living
For those needing long-term care and assistance with daily tasks, assisted living can be a good solution, depending on the individual’s needs. In assisted living, caregivers are available 24/7 to help with tasks like cooking, getting dressed and doing laundry. Aids also keep a close eye on the seniors in their care to look for any cognitive or emotional changes.
Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitative Care
Skilled nursing and rehabilitative care at a senior living community is much like that of home-based skilled nursing. Highly-trained registered nurses are available to provide their patients with speech and physical therapy. In addition, rehabilitation is typically offered for cardiac, stroke, orthopedic, and neurological problems.
Memory Care
Not every senior living campus offers this, but memory care is necessary for seniors suffering from memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. with a memory care unit should offer 24/7 security and monitoring for safety. Ideally, your chosen memory care program should have cognitive stimulation therapy and engaging activities, in addition to skilled medical care tailored to the needs of those suffering from memory loss.
While it can seem like a lot to think about, getting the right plan in place will help provide the comfort that is sought during one’s golden years. Having in-home care and receiving care from a senior living community each have their own unique benefits, so carefully weigh the pros and cons of each before locking in your decision.
Experience the possibilities, contact the senior care experts at Aviva today.
