There are many different levels of care for your senior loved one. Frequently they overlap each other, and they also can be labeled by different names, depending on the agency or even the area you reside in. The key to choosing the right level of care is to have a good idea of where your senior is currently and how any health issues may be expected to progress. Here are some of the different levels of care that your senior may require.
1. In–Home Senior Care. In home senior care is just what it says: The care provided is given in the home of the senior. Usually, home care starts with a primary family caregiver. Safety for the senior is always the main concern. The care usually starts with just helping out with tasks the senior can no longer do independently.
While in the home, you are able to determine if seniors are eating well, are they maintaining good hygiene, and have they been taking their medication as prescribed. If there are concerns, you may need to increase the amount of supervision.
If your senior can’t be left alone because of medical reasons or because they have Alzheimer’s and would not be safe unsupervised, professional in-home care may be the answer. They may be with your senior while the family caregiver is at work or they could just come a few hours to allow the family caregiver to grocery shop.
Professional in-home care can be provided at all levels of need and to allow respite for the primary family caregiver. Staff can range from a companion level of care, which does not include any medical care, to an RN who can administer medical treatment.
2. Assisted Living. The goal of assisted living is to encourage seniors to live as independently as possible, but with assistance available as needed. Assisted living is a great choice if seniors can no longer live in their own homes but they don’t need nursing care. Assisted living facilities allow seniors to have their own apartment or room but meals are provided, activities are planned, and assistance with personal care is available.
3. Nursing Home Care. This is for the senior who needs a higher level of care. They may be unable to transfer in and out of bed or a chair without significant assistance or even lift equipment. They may have medical issues that require frequent monitoring. The senior who needs medical treatments would qualify for nursing home care. At this level of care, a nurse is available to provide care when needed.
4. Rehabilitation. This is generally a short-term stay usually after surgery or an injury that requires intensive physical or occupational therapy. A common user of this level of care is the senior who just underwent knee replacement or the senior recovering from a stroke. Care is supervised by an RN and the stay is expected to be several weeks.
5. Hospice. Hospice care is given to those who have a life-ending prognosis and have chosen to forgo any further attempt at a medical cure. The goal of hospice care is to alleviate pain and anxiety for the senior. Hospice care can be given in a home setting or in a hospice facility.
6. Memory Care. Memory care units are designed for those seniors afflicted with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. The units are more secure, to provide safety, and often have an enclosed outdoor space so that residents of this unit can safely choose to enjoy the outdoors independently without concern about wandering behaviors. Activities on this unit are designed for seniors with memory issues, and assistance is available at all times.
7. Respite Care Units. These are difficult to find but are essentially designed to provide a safe temporary home for your senior and provide the ability for the primary caregiver to have a short respite from caregiving. Usually, respite care is limited to no more than two weeks.
If there is no facility that will provide this service, consider live–in home care. They can evaluate your senior to determine the correct level of care your senior will need in your absence. You could arrange for them to care for your senior before you leave, allowing both your senior and the caregiver to become comfortable with each other.
These are the basic levels of care, but there are more subdivisions and overlapping of them all. Check out various facilities to see what their physical building and grounds are like, as well as their philosophy of care. Look at their activities calendar to see if there is enough to stimulate your senior. Check the staffing ratio. Observe the unit on all shifts. Talk to other families with seniors on the unit you are considering. If at all possible, include your senior in the decision of where they will live.