Assisted Living Vs In-Home Care

Weighing the Benefits of Each for Your Family

If you have a loved one who is getting closer to the stage of either assisted living or in-home care, it can be a stressful, emotional, and overwhelming time for all parties involved. Whether that person is a spouse in need of specialized medical care or a parent whom you believe requires more supervision (so they can continue to live on their own and maintain some sense of independence), you need to make an informed choice between assisted living and in-home care.

We’re here to help you decide which option benefits your loved one the most, and to break down the differences between assisted living and in-home care?

It Begins With Determining the Level of Care

Making the decision between assisted living and in-home care ultimately comes down to the level of care that your loved one requires. If the answers to the following questions are “yes,” then assisted living might be given higher consideration.:

● Do they require intensive medical attention?
● Do they require more socialization?
● Is their mobility limited?
● Have they experienced trauma in the past, such as a stroke, a heart attack, a fall, an accident, etc.?

On the other hand, you might want to look into in-home care as a start if the following is more true:

● You simply want your loved one to be supervised at home
● Someone only needs to check in on them once a day
● They’ve been generally healthy throughout their older years but might require some assistance with basic things around the house

Perhaps assisted living can come later on down the line, but in-home care would be the best place to transition them to this next level of caregiving.

Here are two specific steps to take to help determine the required level of care:

1. Supervise them yourself to start, and begin by jotting down all of the tasks that you help your loved one complete or that you complete on their behalf throughout a given week.

2. Next, make a note of how many hours of care you provide for them, and use that as a starting point when exploring assisted living and in-home care options. The more hours of care they require, the more likely it’ll be that assisted living is the best possible option.

In-Home Care Explained

In-home care involves the presence of a caregiver in your loved one’s own home. They provide day-to-day support for basic home living situations, and they can even provide a bit of companionship and socialization to allow your loved one to remain safe and comfortable in their own home.

For the most part, in-home care is quite flexible, which makes it a nice option for those looking to eventually transition their loved one into an assisted living facility. You’ll be able to choose your in-home caregiver, and you can determine a clear schedule and a clear task list that they’ll be expected to complete with each and every visit. Additionally, in-home care provides your loved one with tailored, personalized support, which is vastly different from an assisted living home which is overwhelmingly organized along group lines.

Perhaps the largest benefit of in-home care is that it gives your loved one the chance to stay in their home for as long as possible, as they continue to age. This is such an important thing to consider, especially if your loved one is extremely reluctant to leave the place where they feel most comfortable.

For more detailed information, check out this article: What Exactly Is In-Home Care For Seniors?

Assisted Living Explained

Assisted living facilities are group communities where senior citizens live and receive daily, ongoing supportive services each and every day. These communities allow seniors to have their own private rooms or apartments, but they are very much under the supervision and care of the assisted living facility.

Additionally, these communities are well-equipped to provide safe and efficient accommodations. Each room or apartment is designed specifically with senior living in mind for accessibility and safety. Some of the biggest benefits of assisted living include 24/7 trained and professional support, supervision, and care, along with an increased frequency of events designed for social interaction, communication, recreation, and more.

For families, assisted living provides a wide range of benefits. Most importantly, it relieves family members of the duties that often come along with caregiving. Instead of serving as a caregiver, you can provide more of a personal connection to your loved one. Instead of focusing on care, you can focus on your relationship – and that is absolutely critical.

Finances Play a Large Role in the Decision

Any type of elderly or senior care can be quite expensive, though the in-home care option typically costs much less than assisted living. Growing old simply costs money – and there’s no way around it. Medical bills become expensive, accommodations become expensive, and the cost of elderly care seems to rise each and every day.

With that in mind, determining the scale and scope of your loved one’s care requirements will help you determine just how much their care will cost you in the long run. In terms of in-home costs, you’ll have to consider the hours of care required, the hourly rate of your chosen caregiver, and any additional costs related to grocery shopping, transportation, property taxes, rent/mortgage, utilities, home maintenance, and everything else that comes along with aging in place.

With assisted living facilities, you’re paying for quite a wide range of more specialized, professional care – all of which alleviates those responsibilities from you. For example, you’ll have a monthly base rate that would cover your loved one’s accommodations, along with additional fees for more specialized care, laundry, housekeeping, personal care supplies and equipment, means, recreation, and so much more.

The costs for both options can add up quite quickly, and understanding exactly how the costs break down will be key to helping you make the right decision between assisted living and in-home care for your loved one.

Making the Decision

Making the choice to put your loved one in an assisted living facility or to allow them to live in their own home with targeted and personalized support is never going to be an easy decision, but with the right insight, you can ensure that you weigh the positives and negatives, the pros and the cons, and the emotional aspects of each to put your loved one in the best possible situation.