At Home Health Care Vs. Assisted Living Facilities

If you are or have an elderly loved one struggling to care for themselves, you may be wondering how to provide the best at home health care they need in their senior years. There are various options you can consider for this purpose.

Options For Care Facilities

Independent Living Communities

Under this category, you get to pick between various living arrangements around other senior citizens. What happens here is that there is help with things like transportation, home maintenance, cooking, and housekeeping. There are also restaurants for those who fancy eating out, and there are activities and events that help keep your loved one busy.

In this case, your loved one is still independent in many of their daily activities and gets help where necessary. Independent living communities are good for people who can still do most things independently and are in near-perfect health.

Assisted Living Facility

In assisted living facilities, your loved one stays in a facility with other older adults and gets a private or shared room based on preference and cost. The difference between assisted living facilities and the independent living community(ILC) is that there is more help and less independence. In addition to what happens in an ILC, your loved one will get help with personal activities like dressing, bathing, and mealtime. Even when they don’t need assistance with these, there will be supervision.

Skilled Nursing Facility (Nursing Home)

As opposed to the two we have looked at above, a nursing home provides 24-hour health care services. There are licensed and registered nurses as well as certified nursing assistants available 24/7. In addition to the primary daily care, the older adults here have access to therapy and dietary counseling if they need it.

Continuous Care Retirement Community

These are centers that combine all the facilities mentioned above around the same place. What happens is that someone moves from one to the next as their care needs change. It can be very convenient because one need not migrate from the community they are fond of when their needs change.

At Home Health Care

There is also the option of your loved one getting healthcare services in the comfort of their home. A certified caregiver will provide the services depending on the present needs. There will also be an arrangement for medical assistance as the need arises.

To help you decide between the options of care facility types, we will narrow this down to a comparison between assisted living and home health care.

Assisted Living Vs. At Home Health Care

For an assisted living facility, your loved one needs to move from home to a residence with fellow seniors and will be assisted with their daily tasks. Note that 24hour medical care from a certified medic is not a requirement for these facilities.

Your loved one will either have a room to themselves or share one with another senior citizen. This will depend on the provisions at the facility you take them to.

The cost for assisted living varies depending on the place, the kind of room one gets, and the amount of care they need.

In an assisted living facility, your loved one ages in a community where they get to participate in activities, create social circles, develop routines and have care around the clock.

The downside is that there is little privacy and independence. Additionally, the elderly have to stay away from their families, and this can cause stress and anxiety.

In at-home care, your loved one will receive all the help and care they need from a professional, and they don’t need to move away from home. The caregiver comes to them. Because they get to stay close to family, they will be more comfortable and at peace in general.

Just like in assisted living, the cost for this will vary depending on the care that your loved one needs. It also depends on the rates that the carer works with. A disadvantage here may be that the carer may not be available 24/7, primarily if they work for an agency.

Tips To Help You Decide What Works Best For You

If you have decided on home health care, we have created a checklist for you to determine what services are needed and what questions to ask homecare agencies before hiring them.

It may still be difficult for you to decide which option is best for you, so here are a few questions you can ask as you weigh the options.

How Much Help Does Your Loved One Need?

Come up with a comprehensive list of their needs, and compare it to how much help you can provide while they stay home. You can then decide whether to keep them home or have them at a facility.

What Are The Key Differences?

Understand precisely how both options work, what services they offer, and weigh their pros and cons. Once you do that, choose what you prefer.

What Is Your Financial Situation?

To evaluate your finances, you will need to carry out extensive research on what each of these options will cost. Ensure you have a detailed breakdown of every cost. You can then look at your income and make a wise choice, keeping in mind that this is a long-term matter. Feel free to involve a financial advisor or an accountant if you need to.

Benefits of At Home Health Care

There are various benefits you will experience when you opt for home health care. These include the following:

• Your loved one gets to age close to their family, and this gives both you and them peace of mind and less stress.
• The care they receive is one on one and is tailored to cater sufficiently to their needs and preferences.
• The family has a say on who they believe will be the best caregiver. This is very important because you get someone you can fully trust with the well-being of your loved one. It goes a long way in enhancing peace of mind.
• As opposed to interacting with a myriad of caregivers, your loved one can get acquainted with only one or two. This will give them a sense of stability and safety.
• There is a lot of flexibility in terms of activities and care arrangements, which will help your loved one keep their sense of independence.
• It is easier to regulate the costs. They can either go down or up based on the caregiver’s skill, the hours they put in, the amount of help you need, and whether they are a private caregiver or work for an agency.

About RetireEase

If you decide on the option to use home healthcare, RetireEase can help. At RetireEase Senior Services, we are committed to providing your loved one with quality homecare and healthy options coupled with the senior companionship they need to prevent loneliness and age with dignity. 

As the premier senior caregiver service in Columbia, SC, our caregivers are passionate about integrated care. We love helping older people continue to live full, active lives. You can learn more about our services here.

If you’re looking for high-quality, personalized senior home care in the greater Columbia, SC area, we’d love to talk. You can contact us here.