Assisted Living or Independent Senior Living?
Several factors must be considered when you are trying to find an appropriate placement for a senior member of your family after home care is no longer an option. Make the right choice and your loved one will be content and enjoy life to the fullest.
The wrong choice, in contrast, can have a negative effect on their mental and physical well-being. In order to make an informed choice between assisted living and independent senior living, you need to understand the differences between the two.
Independent living
Independent living is a great option for any senior who is in need of minimal help at most.
- Options may be offered for transportation,
- meals and
- Recreational activities and the senior choose which to participate in.
Often referred to as retirement communities, congregate living facilities or senior housing, this is a great choice for anyone who wants to continue living on their own, but would like to have a support system in place if they feel they need it at times.
Assisted living
Assisted living is a better option for those in need of some care and support on a daily basis. When you go to choose this option, you need to understand exactly what will be offered by the assisted living facility.
Some choose to offer meals only while others will take on tasks such as:
- laundry,
- housekeeping and
- Medication management among other things.
Determine which options your loved one is most in need of and ensure the facility you choose offers them. Often you will hear this referred to as congregate housing or board and care. Many facilities of this type will also offer recreational activities for seniors.
With either assisted living or independent living facilities, many housing arrangements may be offered. Each resident may have a single dwelling or all may reside in one apartment building together. Single rooms in a large group facility are another option you may wish to investigate.
Other things you may wish to consider when making this determination include access to medical care, financial assistance, price and the length of time the accommodations will be needed. Only when all are factored into this life-changing decision will you feel comfortable knowing your loved one is being provided for.
A blog post by Angella Grey – Meeting with marketing professionals for the first time can be intimidating to say the least. For us it is a chance for you to become more informed generally about the marketing process, what we can do for you and how much it might cost you for our services and to see if we are the right match, before we decide to work together. It is an opportunity to tell us about your objectives and your goals.
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