Imagine you receive a call from the hospital and you discover that your senior has just suffered a stroke. You rush to the hospital and immediately are flooded with questions by the doctors and nurses (and have your loved one’s Medical Life List on hand to help with the process). During the hospital stay, it’s determined that your loved one can no longer live on their own and you have to decide where they are going to live.

But how? You’ve heard of senior living options such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes, but what’s the difference? What’s the best option for your family member? Let’s look at the differences:

Assisted Living Facilities:

1. Bridge the gap between independent living and skilled nursing facilities or nursing homes
2. Provide a variety of services for residents who need occasional assistance with “activities of daily living” like bathing, using the bathroom, and taking medication
3. Focus on providing as much independence to your loved one as possible

Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities:

1. Generally certified by your state and provides 24/7 nursing care.
2. Your loved one will likely need a nursing home if he or she is bed bound, on a respirator, requires wound care, or needs daily nursing care.
3. Best suited for individuals who require round-the-clock care for complex medical needs.

Depending on what your senior’s new needs are, one of these options will be better than the other.  It’s important to know how each is different so you can choose the best option for your loved one.

We hope we have helped you SPIN YOUR HEALTHCARE YOUR WAY!

For more information, please check out HealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility”. It is a practical guide to making the right decisions for seniors when living independently is no longer an option.