Last week we posted the different levels of in-home senior care. The other broad category of senior care is residential care. Residential care can be broadly defined as any type of care that takes place outside the senior’s home or residence.
In many situations, residential care is the most convenient category of care. Most residential care facilities will take care of many of the tasks that become difficult for a senior living on their own, especially when health concerns enter the picture. If you are responsible for a senior parent or loved one, but are not in the same location, arranging for a residential facility can be easiest for you to ensure that every need of your senior loved one is being cared for.
The most popular categories of residential care include:
- Assisted Living
There is a variation in the level of services offered at various assisted living facilities, and it is worth shopping around. Common setups are apartment-style buildings that offer partial catering, social activities, and communal space. Some facilities may offer just rooms and full board, which comes with the added benefit of ensuring meal times are observed and are made social. - Retirement Complex
Often convenient for senior couples, or a senior who is in good health on their own, retirement complexes are apartment buildings or closed communities that are geared towards seniors. The seniors living in these obviously have no care offered, but you have the peace of mind that there is a good community surrounding your senior loved one and they will maintain a healthy social life. - Nursing Homes
Nursing homes provide the highest level of care outside of a hospital. They have all of the facilities expected in a residential care centre, in addition to full medical care.
With so many options available, choosing the right level of care is important, but also very easy to find something that will fit exactly to your family’s unique situation. Part III will cover the criteria you should apply to selecting senior care.