When age starts catching up to you, you are forced to start considering your options. This is undoubtedly stressful, especially with the reality of old age looming over your head. However, making the decision is also important.
The most common options are home care or assisted living. About 75% of adults above the age of 50 prefer home care, but families report that people who initially resist the idea of assisted care also come to love the community as time goes by. So which of these options is better for you?
Assisted Living
Assisted living facilities provide residents with various facilities – from memory care and healthcare management to housing, support and social activities. Assisted living facilities also often have registered nurses who are always on standby to make sure you get the help you need.
Since many senior citizens are unable to live on their own and have many healthcare requirements, their caretaking becomes difficult, especially when the caretakers have other responsibilities as well.
Assisted living comes with many benefits. For one thing, medication management is provided to make sure you don’t miss any of your medication and always have some on hand. Meals are provided free of cost and take your dietary requirements into consideration.
Social activities are also arranged so you can engage with your communities and make meaningful relationships.
You have round-the-clock care available and flexibility in how long or short a time you want to spend there.
Costs of assisted living include your housing, care and meals, as well as direct access to healthcare facilities.
Home Care
Home care is, as you’d expect, aging at home with your family and loved ones. Home care often involves hiring an aide who provides services and help. Most people would prefer this, and it is understandable that you’d want to spend your senior years with your loved ones. While home care does work for some, it is not always a viable option, depending on your requirements.
Home care often includes meal prep, housekeeping and personal care, such as bathing, grooming, toilet help, etc. It allows you to stay at home in a comfortable environment withyour family while still having professional care.
It also offers one-to-one companionship since home care aids often spend all their time with the elderly person. They are able to assist with daily tasks and their care focus can be a lot more customized based on their needs.
Home care does involve the cost of the staff, the agency costs, food items, transport, healthcare, and other such things. It may even end up becoming more expensive than assisted living.
For people who need daily assistance but are otherwise able to care for themselves well enough, home care may work out pretty well, and provides independence as well. However, for people who are much more dependent on a caretaker, assisted living may be a better option.
At Inspirit Senior Living, we provide top-quality assisted living services where our primary focus is to make sure you are satisfied, healthy and happy.
