You may have decided that it is time for your elderly loved one to get a little more support. Perhaps they have become more forgetful in recent months, and you worry about them being on their own. Maybe they have been in hospital following a fall or an illness. There are many different care packages available for your loved ones depending on their needs. Here is a guide to what they offer.
In-Home Care
This may be the preference of your elderly loved one as it means that they can stay in their own home and have a relative or a professional come over to help them a couple of times per day. They might need help preparing meals or getting dressed. However, they will need to have the ability to live a relatively independent life so it might not be the best for everyone.
Adult Day Programs
Your loved one would be looked after in a day center and then returned home in the evenings. This is a suitable idea for an older loved one who has people living with them who are around to care for them in the evenings. Perhaps they have a spouse, or they have moved in with children. It might not be practical for them to stay at home during the day but if they can be cared for by family or friends at night then this could be a suitable option.
Independent Living Facilities
This is the first stage of being cared for away from home but there are some fantastic living spaces such as this Belmont Village senior apartment San Jose CA where they can live relatively independent lives without having to do chores or cook for themselves if they don’t want to. They have staff on hand if they need any assistance, but they are left to live their own lives. Often these living facilities will be placed in the same complex as those offering more support so there is no need to move as they get older or become infirm.
Assisted Living Facilities
This is the next level of care where residents will receive a lot of assistance with their daily lives, but they will still retain their own living space.
Nursing Homes
These facilities are offered when the need for care is constant. Care is often carried out by licensed professionals and most things will be done for them. This is similar to a hospital, but it is run privately, and they treat people as residents rather than patients.
Dementia Care
This is a specific type of elderly care for people who are suffering from dementia. There will be staff who are specially trained and experienced in dealing with dementia. However, dementia nurses can work in facilities that offer other types of care too. If you find the right care home from the outset, your elderly loved one doesn’t need to move if they develop dementia.
Hopefully, this information will guide you through the minefield of choosing the right type of care for your elderly loved one.
