Assisted living communities are just one of the many options available to seniors who need long-term care. These communities come with many benefits, but they're not for everybody. Here are two main questions that can help you figure out if assisted living is a good fit for you.
1. What Do You Need from a Long Term Care Facility?
Everyone has different needs. If you're fully or mostly independent, you may not need an assisted living community. Even if you do need assistance with your day-to-day activities, you may not need enough of it to want to go into assisted living. You will have to weigh what assisted living offers against what you need.
What Assistant Living Typically Offers
Assisted living communities can vary in what they offer residents. Here are a few things you can expect from a facility at minimum:
- Medical monitoring
- Basic medical care
- Daily meals
- Daily activities and social programs
- Help with daily living (eating, dressing, bathing, etc.)
- Supervision
- Security
- Basic housekeeping and laundry
- Transportation
These services separate assisted living communities from many other long-term care options.
2. Do You Already Receive Assistance from Someone?
You may already have someone who helps you with all the things an assisted living facility provides. You will have to ascertain if the help you receive is adequate, and how long that help will last. For example, many seniors have family members who help them.
Help from family can allow you to remain at home or in surroundings you're comfortable with. However, help can become burdensome for some family members who must also juggle other duties such as a career and family life. In addition, family members aren't typically certified caregivers. They may not know what to do for you if there's an emergency.
If You're Currently Handling Things On Your Own
Even if you're alone and feel you need no assistance, you have to consider the future. If you don't have anyone to at least check in on you from time to time, you can run into serious problems.
You may also grow depressed from the lack of people around. Assisted living facilities can give you the care you need coupled with social functions that keep you engaged and part of a community.
If you decide you want to learn more about assisted living communities, then you can start to dig into some of the finer points. Finding assisted living communities that make a good fit for you will require a little research and planning. First, start with these two main questions. From there, you can figure out the rest.
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