Exploring Different Elder Care Facilities
At some point in everyone’s lives, we need to accept the reality that our parents are older and may not be able to live fully on their own anymore. At times like these, we have to consider sending them to an elder care facility or creating a similar arrangement in which they are properly looked after and cared for. But how can we know which elder care facilities are best for our parents?
Of course, no one knows what they need more than our parents do. They will be able to give an audit of their abilities and inform you what level of care they need to be comfortable. Once you have that information on hand, you will be able to weigh your options about which elder care facility suits their needs best.
In this article, we will explain the different types of eldercare facilities that are most common around the world. Outside of the three options we will cover in this article, there may be different options to choose from. Just because they don’t appear in this article doesn’t mean they aren’t suitable options!
Live-In Care
On the most autonomous range of our spectrum, there is live-in care. In this type of elder care, seniors live in their own homes but have a live-in or part-time caregiver who makes sure that they are functioning normally. In many cases, seniors are mentally capable of living on their own but may struggle physically with keeping up with daily life.
The caregiver is able to perform daily duties such as housekeeping, shopping, and meal preparation. Having someone around all the time also means that your parents are talking to someone daily and keeping social. Growing old can be lonely, and having live-in help can alleviate that worry.
Retirement Community
Another type of eldercare facility is a retirement community. Retirement communities are typically condominiums that only allow senior citizens wherein each senior or couple has their own home but shares public facilities. Retirement communities are great options for seniors who can still live on their own but don’t need a big house or want the responsibility of property ownership. They take the stress of being an adult away so that seniors can relax and enjoy their twilight years.
Retirement communities don’t typically provide any hospice care unless it is on an emergency basis. Seniors enjoy living there for the community feel and group activities.
Nursing Homes
If your parents are unable to live on their own and are in need of constant medical care, then they may need to find a nursing home to live in. Nursing homes are communities for senior citizens, except that they specialize in treating those who need round-the-clock care and supervision.
Patients in nursing homes will have their own rooms or apartments, but their bed doubles as their hospital bed. In one way, it is a combination of a hospital and a home, which is why it is reserved for patients who truly need the care.