Difference between Assisted Living and Nursing Home: If we broadly describe it, then Assisted living can be considered the combination of independent living and professional nursing. The seniors are fully supervised by physicians and nurses. Living areas are small and homelike, and there is an on-site doctor and nurse at all times. Nursing homes, on the other hand, are designed for the elderly and those who need medical care, providing medical facilities and assistance every day for physical and medical needs. Here you can explore Senior Living 3D floor plans that we offer at an unbeatable price.
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Assisted Living in Detail
Assisted living is a residential care setting that provides its own special on-site services in addition to those provided by the home’s individual facility licensor. Most assisted living facility residents are independent, with the majority only requiring minimal assistance with activities of daily living. Some residents may need more assistance, depending on their individual health needs.
Signs that it might be time to consider Assisted Living
- the individual has become socially uncomfortable and withdrawn
- the individual has signs of depression
- the individual has lost skills needed to bathe, dress and groom him or herself
- the individual has suddenly begun exposing him- or herself excessively
- the individual is spending far more time in his or her room or alone
- the individual has become verbally abusive
- the person’s memory is poor and he or she is having difficulty with the simplest of tasks
- the individual is due for a routine medical appointment, but fails to go
- the individual is not eating well or has sudden weight loss
Here’s a few signs that might give us a clue. First, people personality or attitude has changed. An older person may be finding that they’re a lot less patient or a lot more irritable. Second, they’re suffering from memory loss. They’re unable to remember what they did the day before or they might forget their close friends and family. Third, they’re having difficulty walking. They’re perhaps not as steady on their feet and they don’t have the ability to move around as they used to.
Facilities or services you can expect in Assist Living Communities
Living in an assisted living community doesn’t mean you can’t maintain your independence. At the same time, an assisted living community provides support when you need it. Assisted living facilities offer a wide range of services that includes round-the-clock nursing care, personal care, daily meals, laundry services, and more like rehabilitation services, emergency response, transportation, health, and wellness services. Here are some services available in assisted living communities:
- Community staff help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and taking medications.
- The community may have nurses on staff or may be linked to a clearinghouse service.
- Community staff assist with medication management, transportation and other resident services.
- Staff members encourage residents to become involved with social activities, the arts and other programs.
- And staff can help residents access environmental services designed to help them maintain their independence such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, transportation, housekeeping and gardening.
- Resident and family councils are sometimes available for residents to maintain a degree of independent lifestyle and participate in the community.
Cost of Assisted living communities
Assisted living communities to cost between $3,000 and $5,000+ per month. Assisted living is available in many different forms and at a wide range of prices. The average cost of assisted living is $3,500 a month, while the high range is $5,000 to $8,000 a month, according to Genworth.
There’s a wide range of assisted living facilities, each with its own services and amenities. Prices of some include:
It depends on if it is attached to a hospital or not and how big of an assisted living community you want.
The prices typically range anywhere from $50,000-$200,000 a year.
- On the other hand, there are also cases of individuals that require 24/7 care, costing up to $8,000 a month in care.
- Other non-healthcare related living expenses such as food, medications, and transportation also fluctuate on a case-by-case basis.
Also, Read: What is Senior Living? Types, Communities, Options
Nursing Homes in Detail
Nursing homes are for people who need short or long-term nursing care, rehabilitation or respite care. In a few states, nursing homes are all public facilities, whereas everywhere else the home setting is, for the most part, private pay. Often times the care people receive in a nursing home, though, is very similar or identical to the services that an assisted living facility offers. It’s worth noting that the government does not have a universal definition for nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
Signs that it might be time to consider Nursing Home
So, you might be considering a nursing home. Some signs are:
- Your loved one has difficulty using the bathroom by themselves and they get accidents on the floor. Is it dangerous to let them keep doing this?
- Your loved one doesn’t know they have a problem and they insist they can do it. They get angry when you say there is a problem and they need help.
- Your loved one might be avoiding going to the toilet at all.
When you should think to more into Nursing home (from Assisted Living option)
- When you need 24/7 supervision or care
- Debilitating or worsening emotional disorders
- Difficulty keeping up with room/apartment cleaning; not able to maitain personal hygiene
- Multiple medical conditions getting worse
- Increasing memory loss, confusion, or disorientation; overall declining mental acuity
- Increasing Depression
- Increasing chances of falling incidents
- Facing problems in managing money and daily-life normal tasks
Cost of Nursing Home
Most Nursing facilities range from $5,000-$15,000 per month. If a person is staying in a skilled nursing facility, it is important to know how much it costs. It is also important to know about the fees and expenses involved in the care process. First, a skilled nursing facility can be accessed for as low as $23 a day to $6,000 a day.
The length of stay should also be considered when deciding on the fees of the skilled nursing facility. Meanwhile, if the cost seems to be escalating, it is best to take out personal insurance in the meantime.
Questions related to Assisted Living and Nursing Home
Can we stay independent in an Assisted Living Community as I can cook my meals?
Assisted living communities offer a place to live for seniors who are able to care for themselves and do not need round-the-clock medical help but need less intensive care than a nursing home might provide. Some communities consist of independent living while others require residents to move around on their own, while others do offer helping hands. These range from one-story, wheelchair-accessible housing to multistory buildings that may be difficult to navigate with a walker or wheelchair.
Assisted living communities are like apartments with a staff on hand to help. Residents do need to make most of their own meals, with help available if they need it. Many independent living communities make eating together one of their social activities and provide meal choices for their residents
Can I receive medical care in an assisted living community?
Yes, but limited. Assisted living communities are designed to house older adults – typically over the age of 65 – who do not need to be in a professional nursing home or hospice, but nonetheless need some assistance in living their lives. Typically, anyone assisted living community will have medical units to serve individuals who are still in need of nursing care, but are not bedbound. It may also have independent living quarters for the elderly, where residents don’t receive any care whatsoever, but are simply provided with a place to live.
Does Assist Living offer one-fit of all or customized services as per needs?
Older adults are all different and one of the most important things to consider is the type of care they will require. In assisted living communities, you can choose the level of care that your loved ones will receive, called a continuum of care. This level of care will vary based on their needs and the services provided.
Depending on their unique needs, assisted living may include:
Not all of these services will be available in every assisted living community. When choosing a community, it is important to look at pricing, location, and the amenities offered such as those listed above.
Most assisted living communities provide common areas to encourage socialization and interaction. These common areas might include dining rooms, game rooms, libraries, swimming pools, etc.
How to pay for Assist Living/ Nursing home facilities?
There are three main ways that people pay for assisted living: they can be billed through a retiree’s private policy, Medicaid, or via a private pay program. Also, there are often different levels of assisted living that can be paid for depending on the services that the person receives.
Along with Medicare, Medicaid and other publicly funded healthcare plans, a long term care policy and Medicaid stands as statutory protection to ensure that nursing home bills, including room and board, medication management, personal care, and other specialized nursing home services, are covered by your plan or by the government. Do not leave seniors alone in their homes because depression or other ailments may force them to neglect themselves.
If you do not want your family to pay the extra money to keep your loved one in a home all alone, consider the alternative of hiring professional medical caregiver services. The benefits of having private nurse aides include: personalized, round-the-clock care, faster recovery from illness or injury, 24/7 emergency care, and more.