Caring For Your Elderly Parents: Exploring Senior Care Options

Are your elderly parents struggling to care for themselves on a daily basis? If so, it may be time to start considering the senior care options that are available to help ensure your parents get the help they need throughout their golden years. Below you will learn more about each of these options so that you can choose the senior care services that are best suited to your parent's specific needs.

Home Health Care Services

Do your parents struggle to complete household tasks, but still maintain a great deal of independence? If so, home health care services may be the right senior care option for them. These in-home services provide seniors with assistance with basic daily tasks such as the following:

  • bathing
  • dressing
  • cooking
  • cleaning

These services can also be used to help with mobility issues around the house and provide your parents with daily medication reminders to aid them in maintaining their good health.

While home health care services can provide a number of valuable benefits, these services are not designed to take the place of regular medical care. Consequently, these services may not be a good fit for individuals with serious medical conditions or who are recovering from a major illness or injury.

Nursing Homes

Do your parents require round the clock medical care, but do not wish to remain in the hospital for an extended period of time? If so, a nursing home will likely be the most appropriate setting for them. This is because nursing homes are staffed with medical professionals, such as registered nurses and physicians in order to provide their residents with the absolute highest level of care.

Since the primary focus of a nursing home is treating the medical ailments of their residents, the individuals who reside in these homes will not have the benefit of a private residence. Instead, they will simply be provided with a private room within the facility. Visiting hours may also be restricted in these facilities. Consequently, a nursing home will not be the right placement for seniors who still wish to maintain a great deal of independence.

Independent Living Communities

Do your parents require more assistance than home health care services can provide, but are not quite ready to move to a nursing home? If so, an independent living community may be able to provide the perfect balance of services and freedom.

Independent living facilities provide residents with their own private residence so that they can enjoy the privacy and independence that they deserve. However, these communities also offer a variety of onsite services, such as transportation assistance, in-home care, and urgent care clinics. These communities will also include a clubhouse or community center where residents can meet to enjoy a variety of social events.

While residents of an independent living community will have easier access to medical care, round-the-clock care is not typically provided. Consequently, these communities will not be suitable for seniors with serious medical conditions. Some seniors may also take issue with the fact that these communities require them to leave their long-time home.

For more information, contact a business such as ComForcare - North Middlesex.


Share