When a loved one or a family member gets advanced in age, there comes a time when we may need to choose a suitable care community for them. This can be a difficult and stressful decision to make as it means that our loved ones will have to be uprooted from their homes. One of the options available for helping them to cope with such displacement is assisted living, which is getting more popular in recent years. In order to help you make an informed decision, we have prepared the following guide that explains what assisted living is about. We will also share about the pros and cons of assisted living so you can better understand how it can benefit your loved ones.
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living communities provide dedicated personal care services for the residents in a residential setting. These personal care services include housekeeping, meal preparations, and assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, eating or dressing. In such a living community setting, one can also enjoy complimentary lifestyle services like transportation, spa, and hairdressing. Residents can also attend social events and activities that are specially organized for them.
Assisted living is suitable for your family members who currently require some form of assistance in their daily living activities or foresee that they will need some form of help but do not require consistent medical care. Residents will be evaluated by a staff member to determine the level of care they need, and this makes assisted living a very attractive care option for your independent loved ones who are looking for partial health care or personal care on a regular basis.
Advantages of Assisted Living
Assisted living communities offer your loved ones with an autonomous lifestyle. With on-site staff available to render aid in case of emergencies, one can rest assured that there will always be a resident doctor or nurse around who is well-trained to handle and respond to any medical situations. There is a high level of security at assisted living communities with controlled access. Hence, crime rates are almost non-existent and are definitely lower than in a private residence.
Residents in an assisted living community are surrounded by people and activities. They will never be bored as there are plenty of opportunities to socialize, participate in activities, learn new hobbies, or make new friends. Compared to living alone in a private residence, your loved ones will benefit greatly from having social interactions with others who are at a similar stage in their lives. With housekeeping matters being taken care of by staff in the community, as well as healthy delicious meals being served every day, residents in an assisted living community can truly live worry free and devote themselves to their golden years.
Disadvantages of Assisted Living
Unlike in nursing homes, the cost of assisted living cannot be paid for by Medicare. This is one of the major drawbacks of staying in an assisted living community. The national average monthly cost ($4300) of staying is an assisted living community may be over many people’s budget. As such, assisted living is not an affordable option when compared to other senior residential home options that are covered by Medicare.
An assisted living community does not provide extensive medical care for severely ill patients, such as those with dementia, or those with greatly reduced mobility. Seniors with such medical conditions would be better taken care of in a dedicated community with memory care program or a nursing home.
Last, but not least, there will be some individuals out there who are used to living alone or prefer to spend time on their own. As such, moving to an assisted living community may cause them undue stress since they may be faced with the challenge of having to adjust to a communal way of life.
Assisted Living Options at Discovery Village At Tampa Palms
For the majority, assisted living is an attractive option for your loved ones. Imagine having the freedom to live life the way they want while being empowered by some form of daily assistance or support – what an enriching life they will have! If you are interested in the assisted living option for your family member, you will be glad to know that there are many financial assistance schemes available to help you out. To get more information about different assisted living services,you can head over to Discovery Village At Tampa Palms to learn more. At Discovery Village At Tampa Palms, we provide affordable senior living options for your loved ones!
