When the time comes to start looking into care for your elderly loved one, you may feel confused and overwhelmed on whether they should go into an assisted living facility or a nursing home.
To help assist you in your research, we have laid out the main differences between nursing homes and luxury assisted living.
Assisted Living Facilities
Assisted living facilities are ideal for seniors who are fairly independent but require assistance with daily activities, such as bathing, cooking, shopping, etc.
An assisted home is a great first transition for your loved one if they have never lived outside of their own home. An assisted home is usually in an actual home to give seniors the “at-home” feel, while still being able to get the help they need.
Here are some of the major amenities that assisted homes offer.
Assisted living facilities are ideal for seniors who are fairly independent but require assistance with daily activities, such as bathing, cooking, shopping, etc.
An assisted home is a great first transition for your loved one if they have never lived outside of their own home. An assisted home is usually in an actual home to give seniors the “at-home” feel, while still being able to get the help they need.
Here are some of the major amenities that assisted homes offer.
Personal Care
Oftentimes when we age, we lose the ability to be able to do everyday tasks. By putting your loved one in an assisted home, they are able to get the help of a caregiver with any tasks they need assistance with. This can include simple tasks, such as housekeeping, giving medication, or simply companionship.
Most assisted living facilities usually have a nurse on staff/on-call at the residence, however they may not be there 27/7 for assistance. Therefore, an assisted home is ideal for seniors who do not need around the clock care.
Socialization
Socialization is important at any age, but for seniors, it can be extremely difficult to get a healthy amount of socializing in. Oftentimes as seniors get older, their children move away from them, they may lose their spouse and become at a higher risk of getting depression because of the isolation or loneliness that comes from those life changes.
By going to an assisted home, seniors are surrounded by other seniors, as well as caregivers. They are able to interact with one another through activities such as movie night or game night.
If you’re loved one if missing you and their family, you can set up visiting times where you and others can come and interact with your loved one, providing them with special bonding moments
Along with human interaction, some living facilities may offer pet therapy to its residents.
Accommodations
If your loved one needs helping to get around the home, assisted facilities are built to be modified for residents with physical disabilities. Showers can be rolled-into, hallways and doorways can be adjusted to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs. Also, if your loved one needs extra help, a Hoyer lift may be in the residents with caregivers trained to use it.
Nursing Homes
The majority of residents at nursing homes receive the same features as assisted homes, however, at a nursing home, a registered nurse is usually always on clock to assist residents. Thus, a major difference between the two homes is the availability of 24/7 care.
Most residents who go into nursing homes can not live independently and require more or a higher level of assistance compared to seniors at assisted living facilities.
Services
A nursing home is ideal if your loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s or dementia. With the fast progression of cognitive diseases, nursing homes can help ensure your loved one is safe at all times with around the clock care and supervision.
Also, if your loved one requires injected medications or through an IV fluid, a nursing home is ideal due to a registered nurse being on staff.
Cost Difference
Debatably the biggest difference between assisted living facilities and nursing homes is how much they cost.
According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey 2019, assisted living facilities can range from an average of $4,051 a month, while nursing homes can cost anywhere from $7,513 to $8,517 a month based on the privacy level of a room.
Coverage Options
When looking at the monthly cost of an assisted living facility or nursing home, you may wonder if there are any coverage options available. We’ve laid out some ways you can receive financial assistance to pay for your loved one’s care.
Medicare
You can look into if your loved one’s Medicare will help with some costs, but typically it does not cover longer-term care stays which would include assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
Medicaid
Some nursing homes and assisted living facilities to accept Medicaid. Check with each facility you look into to see if they accept it or now.
Pay-Out-Of-Pocket
The most common way people pay for care is out of pocket through their own money and savings. It is not an ideal way to pay, because it can be expensive, so always do the research and see if the homes you are interested in are within your budget and see if they accept some form of insurance.
Here are some of the major amenities that assisted homes offer.
Author Bio
Melissa Andrews is the Content Marketing Strategist for Paradise Living Centers, an assisted living center for seniors with locations in Paradise Valley and Phoenix, Arizona. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and going on hiking trips with her siblings and cousins.