Why Is Assisted Living For Elderly Better Than Living At Home? Family Articles | August 6 Demarcus Lawrence Jersey , 2011 We hear it all the time; people are living longer, the system is not equipped to handle the increasing number of older Americans, and health care costs so much. One thing that can be done to safeguard your future and your finances is to take out a long term care insurance policy.
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living is a viable option for giving seniors the quality of life they deserve and it empowers them to live life on their terms. There is no standard definition for Assisted Living centers. At The Continental at St. Joseph's (CSJ), we define Assisted Living, as "independent apartment living with some assistance with daily activities." Tara Koestner, Administrator Jason Witten Jersey , states, "Assisted Living communities are designed to help disabled or senior adults bridge the gap between living at home and long term nursing care." Assisted Living centers do not provide nursing home-type services. Independence and choice are the key operating principles in Assisted Living communities. Just like living at home, tenants are free to come and go as they please. They have freedom to decorate and personalize their apartments and they choose to participate in activities and outings. Assisted Living centers do offer assistance with household chores, personal care, and professional nurse monitoring. Think of Assisted Living as a place designed for people who are able to care for themselves except for assistance with a few activities of daily living. Tenants maintain personal privacy and independence in a setting that also offers numerous opportunities to build friendships. New tenants often comment, "I should have moved here years ago!"
The primary difference between living in an apartment at The Continental at St. Joseph's Assisted Living community and living at home is peace of mind. Peace comes knowing that help is available 24 hours a day with a simple push of a button. Caring and knowledgeable staff are always there to provide help when needed. Routinely Dak Prescott Jersey , CSJ staff cooks meals, cleans apartments, does laundry, shops for tenants, transports tenants to medical appointments, and most importantly makes sure that tenants take their medications on time. Professional nurses are on staff to talk to tenants about any health concerns and communicate with doctors Ezekiel Elliott Jersey , pharmacists, or therapists to ensure that tenant's health concerns are addressed. No one can predict what challenges any of us may face in the future. When unpredictable situations arise, tenants do not have to worry. They will not face these challenges alone. Qualified, caring personnel are moments away ready to help.
Comparing the Costs: Living at Home, Assisted Living, or Long Term Care
"When comparing the cost of daily assistance for a health challenged senior adult Amari Cooper Jersey , Assisted Living centers compare very favorability when it comes to quality, convenience, and affordability." states Tara Koestner, Administrator, The Continental at St Joseph's Assisted Living Center. Of course, everyone wants to live in their own home as long as possible. This is understandable and always the ideal situation as long as the aging adult is able to maintain a reasonable quality of life at home. Gradually Tony Pollard Jersey , over time, subtle signs appear that indicate that aging adult may not be doing as well at home alone as the family would hope. Lora Lyons, Healthcare Coordinator at CSJ recommends that the family look for the following signs of unsafe behavior:
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·???????? Falling and unable to get up without assistance.
·???????? Missed doses of medications and out of date medications.
·???????? Gradual loss of weight.
·???????? Lack of personal hygiene.
·???????? Unable to hear the phone or call for help.
·???????? Inability or unwillingness to leave their home.
·???????? Gets lost or looses objects frequently.
·???????? Living space shrinking to a space around the favorite chair.
·???????? Periodic little driving accidents.
All of the above behaviors happen normally with age and individually do not necessarily indicate unsafe behavior.. However, when an ongoing trend starts to appear, it is time for the family to consider making arrangement to assist this adult. There comes a point in time in this process where Assisted Living becomes the most cost effective means of providing quality of life assistance for a loved one.
When comparing the cost of Assisted Living and living at home, families need to take into consideration the following costs: