3 Helpful Tips for Choosing Between Assisted Living and Home Care

Ann Hortillosa
3 Helpful Tips for Choosing Between Assisted Living and Home Care

Coming to the decision that a loved one needs assistance is difficult. Unfortunately, the decision making is really just beginning. Recognizing that help is necessary is the first of many choices to be made, and one of the biggest relates to where your loved one will live. To make that process a little less overwhelming, the professionals at Syncare Memory Suites in Minnesota are sharing their expertise. Here are three tips for choosing between assisted living and home care.

Level of Care

One of the best places to begin is by determining how much help your loved one will need. It’s important to be realistic both about what’s needed in terms of daily, weekly, and monthly care, and how much of that care can be handled by family. Writing down specifics about your loved one’s needs and what that will mean in terms of care is a useful way to truly grasp what’s needed. Make notes about who can be responsible for what, and you’ll quickly see whether home care will be possible, or if assisted living is a more realistic solution.

Care Option Differences

There are a variety of home care and assisted living options, and your search should involve options that are specific to the needs of your loved one. If he or she has Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, tailoring your search to homes that specialize in this level of care will save you time and aggravation. Consider the severity of your loved one’s condition, and what that means for day-to-day living. Read more about private memory care homes, and what sets them apart from traditional assisted living facilities.

It’s also useful to understand the basic differences between home care and any kind of assisted living.

  • Home care involves a caregiver who comes into the home of your loved one to offer services specific to his or her needs. This could include daily tasks like bathing, preparing meals, using the bathroom or shower, transportation, or other tasks. Prices will vary widely depending on the caregiver’s duties, and this option tends to require a hands-on approach from family. Things like home maintenance and housekeeping will still be necessary, and modifications for considerations like wheelchair accessibility may be needed.

  • Assisted living means your loved one would move to a new home with round-the-clock care. There will be other seniors, and living arrangements may involve roommates, private rooms, or small apartments. Services like meals, housekeeping, group activities, and transportation would likely be included in the monthly fee.

Budgeting

 Balancing the costs of assisted living or home care against what you or your loved one can afford to spend is the kind of financial planning that takes some work, but is well worth the effort. Once you’ve started making early (even tentative) decisions about home care versus assisted living, it’s a good idea to start reaching out for pricing information. You need to understand the true costs of both options in your area, and the best way to do that is by speaking directly to the people offering these services. It may also be worth a visit to an accountant or financial advisor to determine the right budget.

Next Steps

These are complicated decisions that shouldn’t be made lightly. Spending time researching your options and considering the unique needs of your loved ones will help ensure that you make the best decision for everyone. Here in Minnesota, Syncare Memory Suites is a private home offering specialized memory care for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. If you’re interested in learning more, we invite you to contact us today.

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