What Type of Senior Living Community Is Right for You?
Currently, there are over 30,600 assisted living and other residential care communities scattered throughout the United States. Some 22.6% of them are in the Midwest, meaning Iowans have a lot of senior care options. But if you've decided that now's the time to make the move, how can you know which community will suit you best?
There are several types of senior living communities available. They range from communities for independent living for seniors that do not provide care services to nursing homes that care for seniors with complex needs. In this article, we'll focus on two types of senior living communities - assisted living and memory care.
What Is Assisted Living?
Assisted living helps people who want to live independently but require some assistance with some daily living tasks. These communities typically offer a range of services. You will have regular healthcare evaluations, and the level of support provided can increase over time.
In assisted living communities, people live in their own homes, which they are free to personalize as they wish. They are designed with seniors in mind, with assistance such as grab bars in the bathrooms and accessible showers.
Assisted living takes the strain out of running a home. You can sit back and relax while someone else takes care of:
- Cleaning your home
- Maintenance
- Laundry
- Security
Each home is equipped with a kitchenette for preparing or heating light meals. Plus, many assisted living communities are pet-friendly.
Enjoyable Activities
This leaves you plenty of time to enjoy the social activities that many assisted living communities provide. These can include games, such as Mahjong, outings to local restaurants, and fitness activities. There is no reason to feel isolated, as assisted living communities allow lots of opportunities to get together with other retirees and form lasting friendships.
Support Services Provided
In many cases, residents in assisted living communities need help with one or more activities of daily living. This may include:
- Showering, grooming, and dressing
- Going to the bathroom
- Medication management
- Assistance with eating
You can enjoy retaining as much independence as possible while having the peace of mind 24-hour support brings.
Assisted Living vs Nursing Home
In contrast to assisted living communities, nursing homes provide a higher level of care. They are for seniors who have serious medical conditions or chronic illnesses that require ongoing nursing care. They can also provide respite care for seniors who have suffered an injury, such as a broken hip.
Nursing homes provide 24-hour care from nurses and specially trained staff. They can also provide palliative care for those with terminal conditions.
What Are Memory Care Communities?
If you are facing memory difficulties, you are far from alone. More than 66,000 Iowans aged 65 and older have Alzheimer's disease, and others face different forms of dementia. Memory care communities are specialist types of senior living communities that can provide tailored care for your needs.
Safety and Support
Memory care is essentially an enhanced form of assisted living. It provides all the same services and more. Provisions to keep residents with dementia safe may include:
- Locked doors to prevent people from wandering
- Secure and supervised outdoor areas
- Specially trained staff
- Activities that support people with dementia
Personalized Care
Everyone's experience of dementia is different. That's why memory care communities provide each individual with a personalized care plan. This takes into account the individual's needs and preferences and will be led by medical professionals.
While memory care may not provide medical services onsite, they work closely with doctors who specialize in dementia. The staff is also trained to observe residents, carefully, noting areas of difficulty. This can inform updates to the care plan as needed.
Who Is a Memory Care Community For?
When choosing a senior community, it's important to realize that memory care may not be suitable for all people with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Typically, symptoms are mild in the early stages. People with dementia may be able to continue living independently, in assisted living, or with their families until the condition progresses.
To qualify for memory care, some criteria include:
- Not able to be left alone due to fears of harm
- Round-the-clock assistance needed with personal care
- Caregivers are no longer able to provide the level of care needed at home
Making the decision to allow a loved one to move into a memory care community can be heartbreaking. This is especially true when you have successfully cared for your loved one at home for a long time. However, the decision could be the best thing for both the person with dementia and the caregiver.
Memory care communities welcome family members and friends. You can still enjoy precious time with your loved one while they benefit from specialist care in a comfortable, homely environment.
Choosing the Right Types of Senior Living Communities
The right type of senior living community will largely depend on your individual needs.
If you currently enjoy relatively good help and just need a little assistance with a few activities of daily living, assisted living could be the right choice for you. If you need more support in the future, the level of care can be increased while you remain in the same home.
However, if you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia, memory care is more likely to be able to care for your long-term needs.
Enjoy Life at Prairie Hill Independence
The many types of senior living communties can be confusing. However, it is reassuring that there are senior care options that are ready to meet our diverse needs as we age. At Prairie Hill Independence, we are proud to offer older Iowans multiple levels of care in our assisted living and memory care community.
We have a range of suite, one, and two-bedroom accommodations that are ready for you to personalize to your taste. In your new home, you'll enjoy care that helps you retain your independence and truly thrive. In our community, there are activities that can help you make the most of your retirement.
To fully understand what your life at Prairie Hills Independence could be like, schedule a tour today!