Many people often equate nursing homes with assisted living communities and vice versa. This is understandable, as senior living as a whole tends to get blurred into one subject. However, nursing home care and assisted living are two different things entirely.
As you search for the right living arrangement for your loved one, it is important to understand the differences between senior living services and nursing home vs assisted living. Here at Mary T, we want you to be able to make the best decision for the senior in your life who is planning to transition to a senior care facility.
Nursing Home vs Assisted Living: How to Choose the Right Level of Care
It can be difficult trying to determine the best level of care for loved ones. Fortunately, you have resources available that can help make your decision easier.
Our senior living specialists are happy to offer their assistance in finding the best residential care based on your loved one’s needs. Contact us at your earliest convenience so we can walk you through your options.
What is the next level of care after assisted living?
Memory care is often the next level of care. It provides failure-free activities designed to accommodate seniors living with memory loss. This level of care may also offer family members educational support to help deal with the challenges that memory loss and dementia often present.
When should you move from assisted living to a nursing home?
One of the most notable clues is if caregivers are finding it more and more challenging to meet your loved one’s needs. This may present itself in the form of frustration or feeling increasingly tired. If the need for care is getting to be more than you or the caregiver can handle, or if your loved one’s health is deteriorating, it may be time to consider a nursing home.
Nursing Home vs Assisted Living: What’s the Difference?
Assisted Living
Assisted living communities are ideally designed for seniors who are capable of providing most of their own care but still need a helping hand with some daily living tasks. When your loved one moves to an assisted living facility, they are able to live largely independently.
Many assisted living facilities offer a wide range of recreational activities and on-site services. For example, it isn’t uncommon to find happy hours, restaurant-quality dining, and outings provided for residents.
Assistance is still available to assisted living residents, such as those who need help with laundry and housekeeping. If a senior needs help with daily medication management, assisted living communities offer those services, as well.
You can trust that your loved one will have access to assistance with common activities of daily living, ensuring that all of their needs are met.
Nursing Homes
Also called convalescent homes, nursing homes are specifically designed for those who require 24-hour residential care. Nursing home residents may suffer from physical or mental conditions that make full-time skilled nursing care a necessity.
This can include bathing, dressing, and other personal care, as well as medical care. These care services ensure that nursing home residents receive personalized attention based on their medical needs. Nursing home care is often synonymous with long-term care and can help prevent illnesses from worsening.
A Deeper Level of Care
Assisted living and nursing home facilities provide many of the same services, such as medication management and housekeeping, but differ in the latter being intended for residents who can no longer live independently.
Many seniors in skilled nursing facilities are wheelchair-bound or bedridden. Because of this, they have additional needs that must be met on a daily basis to ensure their health and safety. A nursing home may be the right choice if your loved one needs daily medical care to live comfortably.
There are times when an elderly person staying in an assisted living facility experiences declining health and has to be moved to a nursing facility. If you are faced with this decision and don’t know where to turn, we invite you to contact us right away.
Our specialists will be happy to speak with you and provide the guidance and direction you need. We have assisted many families in transitions like this, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to face these difficult decisions on your own.
On-Site Medical Care
Nursing homes provide medical services that range from physical occupational and speech therapy to rehabilitation and respiratory care. When seniors transition to skilled nursing facilities, you can trust they will be well cared for at all times. This includes daily meals that are based on the nutritional needs of each resident.
Some seniors who require the care of nursing homes have suffered an injury or have a chronic medical condition. Fortunately, nursing home residents can get their medical care on-site. That’s one huge benefit nursing homes have over assisted living. Assisted living simply provides transportation services for residents to attend appointments.
Skilled nursing care aside, there are still plenty of activities available to ensure that personal needs are met. Oftentimes, nursing homes include designated common areas regularly used for church and community gatherings.
Is assisted living better than a nursing home?
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities both have their place in senior care. One is not necessarily better than the other. It all depends on the needs of the seniors who are transitioning from their homes.
Assisted living facilities are more suitable for residents who can still provide some of their own daily care, whereas nursing homes are better suited to those who cannot. Both residential services offer plenty of recreational activities and promote community interaction with new people.
However, the need for family is still encouraged for the well-being of residents. Seniors who move to a care facility or community are often leaving behind their homes of many years, along with a lifetime of memories.
Having familiar people in their lives can make their transition easier. It can also make a big difference in the overall health of the residents. It is therefore important to make time for family members who are moving to nursing homes or assisted living communities.
We Can Help
At Mary T, we understand how important it is to find the right residence for your loved one’s needs. We’re happy to help you along the way to ensure that you make the best decision for your family. If you or your loved one live in Minnesota or Arizona, contact us so that we can provide the direction you need.
Our senior care team has years of training and experience to ensure that you receive the very best help as you search for the best housing option for your family. As always, we look forward to serving you and hope to hear from you soon.
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