Providing quality elderly care to your loved ones can improve their quality of life and makes them feel loved and valued. Elderly care options differ in terms of the type of care offered and the location where care is provided. You need to analyze the pros and cons of each option and select the one that suits your loved one’s needs. Here are the top elderly care choices to know:
Home Care
Home care is a popular option because it focuses on an individual’s comfort as much as their care. Individuals continue to live in their homes, and caregivers come to help them with daily tasks. These tasks might include bathing, dressing, running errands, and driving to appointments. You can ask for help with cleaning, dusting, laundry, and yard work.
Home care can be perfect for people who need occasional help but can still live alone. Caregivers are responsible for doing what the individuals find difficult to do. It can be ideal for elderly people who don’t want to leave their homes to stay surrounded by familiar things or close to the family.
Independent Living Care
Independent living care prevents the social isolation that comes with aging by offering social opportunities for people in the same circumstances. This option allows elders or veterans to purchase or rent apartments on campuses dedicated to people like them. These campuses offer recreational and social support and may cater to individuals’ transportation needs.
Independent living facilities are similar to conventional homes, so individuals still have a lot of freedom. They don’t offer medical services like checking vital signs, or help with daily tasks like cleaning, so individuals need to be self-sufficient. The facilities can be suitable for anyone who doesn’t live close to their loved ones or friends since they can build social relationships with other residents.
Adult Day Care
Adult day programs provide care in structured settings during the day, usually on weekdays. They offer two types of care, which may or may not co-occur: social care and medical care. Social care focuses on helping seniors build bonds with other people in society. It caters to individuals’ personal needs like hygiene maintenance and may involve teaching the adults skills to keep their minds sharp.
Medical care focuses on catering to individuals’ health needs. People enrolled in adult day care programs may receive services like blood pressure monitoring.
Adult day care can be viable for people who don’t need round-the-clock care but can’t be left alone at home since they may hurt themselves. This form of care allows families with seniors living with them to carry out daily tasks without worrying about their safety. Adult day care is a good option if you want to keep your loved ones close to you but can’t watch over them during the day.
Nursing Home Care
Nursing home care can be suitable for anyone who needs round-the-clock care. Individuals reside in nursing home premises and have their needs catered for by nurses’ aides, licensed practical nurses, or registered nurses. Nurses’ aides and licensed practical nurses care for people who need basic care. They help with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, and moving around.
Registered nurses have medical training, so they care for people in skilled care nursing homes. These nursing homes offer medical services like physical therapy, speech therapy, and vitals monitoring.
Registered nurses care for individuals in sub-acute nursing facilities. Sub-acute facilities provide comprehensive care services, so they can suit people who need round-the-clock medical care. The registered nurses in these facilities work with medical staff, who review residents’ medical charts to guarantee the best care.
Continuum of Care
This option offers the broadest range of care services. It caters to everyone, from individuals who need partial care to people who need round-the-clock assistance. People live on designated premises with professionals who watch over them and determine the ideal level of care.
Continuum of care can be viable for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia, as their care needs progress with time. You won’t have to move your loved one from one facility to another as their needs increase if you choose this form of care.
Elderly Care Comes in Many Forms
Seniors need proper care to live healthy lives and develop a sense of belonging. You can determine the most appropriate type of elderly care for your loved one by looking at their needs. Home care can be suitable if they can live by themselves but need help with tasks like cleaning and bathing. You may need a more comprehensive option like nursing home care or continuum of care if they need round-the-clock support.
