Getting to Know: Senior Living Communities
Caregiving is challenging. However, you need to accept the fact that aging is a time of adaptation and change. Being thoughtful of understanding how elderly caregiving works should be on your list. Eleanor Gaccetta’s book, One Caregiving Journey will help you. With this, you can know the aspect of caregiving, including the misconceptions of caregiving.
There are a lot of factors to consider, including finding a living community for the elderly. If you are considering depending on the senior housing options for your elderly loved ones, you should know the options. Seniors are exposed to different types of living communities where they can live safely and comfortably. Each one of them provides different services—all services provided will be based on the lifestyle and health care needs of the residents. That means seniors and their families have a wide variety of housing options to consider depending on the senior’s health status.
Whether you’re looking for yourself or a loved one, getting to know senior citizen housing will help you make the best choices. Moving seniors to a different environment can be hard for both the families and the seniors themselves. There will be an adjustment period just like any other person who deals with a new living arrangement. Finding the right place to live can be challenging and stressful for both you and your family. Nevertheless, the need for you to assess your current needs as early as possible is a must. You must also need to consider the fact that hose needs may evolve over time, so you will have more choices and control over your decisions.
There are a lot of things to consider in choosing a senior living community. It must fit your needs and finances. Here are some of the choices you can examine.
Assisted Living Community
With this living community, the residents should not have to require skilled medical services but have difficulty living alone. These facilities provide support if living alone has become difficult. Unlike home, assisted living facilities do not allow stoves or cooking to be done in the room, but they do provide a refrigerator for some foods to be maintained in the room. Such items as a coffee pot or microwave are also allowed in some facilities but not all. Such items as milk, bread, pop, cheese, lunch meats or snacks can be stored in the room. The facilities provide the ability for residents to have a simple meal in their room or to join in communal dining with other residents. Three meals a day, assistance with activities like housekeeping, laundry, dressing, bathing, and managing their medications. Plus, there is 24-hour security and staff available.
Nursing Homes
When someone cannot live alone at home, or in an assisted living facility and requires medical attention a physician may order nursing home care. There must be a physician’s order for admission to a nursing home. 24-hour nursing and medical services are included in the services, as well as personal care services. If needed, residents should also be provided with physical, occupational and speech therapy, which includes social activities. Nursing facilities provide meals, medication dispensing and all physical, medical and mental health needs as ordered by a physician.
Hospice Care
Hospice care is known as “end-of-life” care. Hospice care can be in-home or in a hospice-licensed facility. A team of qualified providers will provide nursing, medical, social services and other needs. The care is also known as comfort care to maintain the individual as comfortable as possible in the dying process. Families also receive services to understand the process of dying and to understand their loved ones needs at the time. If in-home hospice care is being utilized family members will also be taught how to administer pain or other medications.
You also must include others in the decision like talking to other members of the family and/or friends. You can also ask doctors; they can help discuss the pros and cons of senior living options. Of course, you should also need to include the decision of an elderly loved one you will be sending. Some older adults may be unable to decide due to health reasons but hearing them out will still decrease the chances of them having depression. In this case, the family or other caregivers will have to make the best choice.
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