Senior Parents: Home Care Vs Assisted Living?

With the Baby Boomer generation moving into full retirement age, the concern for many families has become determining the proper housing solution that will be best for every family member.

Most seniors would ultimately prefer to stay in their own homes as they age, but that is not always the best and safest option.

If your parents are starting to have health or memory issues, it may be time to start thinking about what is best for their long-term care, and it might be worth considering assisted living. 

Other family members often shoulder the heavy responsibility, but for seniors who have no one living close to them, staying in their own homes can cause some safety problems.

This is not the case if your loved one is at a senior living facility like ashland farm at north andover (or a similar closer to you), you can rest assured they will be cared for, and be given the best quality of life in their senior and most precious years. 

Finding an assisted living facility that has an excellent healthcare outreach program is one option to consider while hiring in-home health care services is another. Take a look at the financial and health-related considerations that you should be looking at before you decide about home care or assisted living for your senior parent.

Cost Factors

Senior care prices can be largely dependent on the area in which you live and the level of care required for each person. If you are thinking about bringing someone in for daily home visits for your parent, you will be looking at a minimum of $20/hr each day.

The cost of assisted living facilities can also vary widely. For example, a single room in an assisted facility in Missouri will cost approximately $2200 per month, but in Alaska, the same room may cost up to $6000 per month.

There is every reason to shop around when you are looking at assisted living for your parents. The level of care, size, and style of each facility and the kind of programs offered should all be considered in the decision-making process.

For example, if they need somewhere safer to live but are still active and social, it can be worth considering a facility run by Clover Group Inc., as their senior living spaces prioritize accessibility and community. Similarly, if your parents have complex health needs, this must also be one of your priorities when deciding on a facility. 

Living Expenses

Most seniors would prefer to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. The level of comfort and familiarity is important, and the thought of moving to a new place and giving up their home can be a difficult thing to ask of most people.

The thing to keep in mind is what is going to be the most affordable, the safest, and the most practical long-term arrangement for your parents.

When your parents choose to stay at home, they will not only have to continue paying all of their regular expenses, including mortgage, utilities, and insurance, but they will also have the added expense of having outsiders come into the home for health care.

At an assisted living retirement home, all of your overhead costs are included in the cost. Rent, meals, maintenance costs, and basic utilities are all factored into the final price. This may give you a broader picture of the affordability of assisted living costs.

Safety

For family members, the largest concern about senior parents living alone is safety. It doesn’t take much for a fall or small accident to lay someone up for weeks or months. If your parent is starting to show signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s, there is a definite danger to them living on their own.

In an assisted living environment, your parents are much less likely to have to deal with emergency issues on their own. You and your parents can feel safe in the knowledge that there is always someone around when they need assistance.

What are you considering, home care or assisted living?