Early in my career, before joining Vista Living Senior Care in Arcadia, I was fortunate to discover the importance of this question. For most children of aging parents this is the first question to ask yourself and will guide the process of finding the best options for their Senior Care.
Studies reveal that 25% of caregivers live with the elderly or disabled relative that he or she cares for. This arrangement can have many benefits, but there is a point in time when it can also begin to cause more expense, fatigue, heartache and stress, especially if your home has to go through a remodel for needed accommodations or modifications.
Take time to consider the following questions when deciding whether to be an in-home caregiver:
1. What kind of care will be needed?
It’s important to consider the person’s mental and physical condition, and any illnesses he or she may have, before you move him or her into your home.
However, moving parents out of their family home usually happens when there is some sort of health condition or crisis that acts as a catalyst for the transition. If this is the case, your family will be dealing with the person’s chronic illness, which will most likely get worse and eventually require round-the-clock care.
It’s important to think about the future senior care needs to determine whether a move into assisted living may be a better option.
2. Realistically, how much personal assistance and supervision can you provide?
Many families feel obligated, or even want, to bring their elderly loved ones into their home when their health declines. Many feel caring for an aging relative is a great way to give back some of the care, love and nurturing he or she may have given you.
But role-reversal can be challenging for everyone involved; not only for you, noone wants to be a burden and feel uncomfortable with you having to care for them.
Consider these other factors to determine whether the move is a good idea:
• Be realistic — You may consider speaking to your elderly relative’s doctor about his or her upcoming needs and determine whether you’re able to provide the level-of-assistance needed.
• Consider your schedule — Do you work? Do you have children? You need to consider whether you actually have time to watch someone who requires assistance. Do you have someone who can help you? There is no guilt in asking questions that you need to ask.
• Know your limits — If the person needs help with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing and dressing, are you and your loved one comfortable with you performing these duties as caregiver? Do you feel your best, current option is hiring in-home aide or nurse until the need for more care makes it because necessary to have your loved one move into a senior care facility?
3. What’s your relationship like?
Do you get along well with your loved one or relative? You need to look at the history of your relationship and determine whether or not you can reside in the same house, let alone have you care for their needs.
If you can move past conflict easily and feel living together will only strengthen bonds without sacrificing your sanity in the process, the arrangement may work.
However, if you’ve never gotten along, putting yourself in close quarters probably isn’t a good idea, even if you feel obligated, you have to be realistic.
4. Can your home accommodate the person’s care needs today and in the future?
Often times, older adults with health problems can’t bathe or climb stairs easily unless grab bars are installed. Can you afford a renovation that may be involved, consider the following:
• Could you convert the living room or den into a bedroom easily?
• Is there a bathroom available on the floor the relative will be residing?
• Is the bathroom and hallway areas wheelchair accessible?
• What renovations will be needed, and is the cost worth it for both short-term and long-term health and senior care needs?
• Will everyone have a level of privacy they’re comfortable with?
5. How do your other family members really feel about the potential move-in?
You have to go with your gut when it comes to moving in your aging relative. Do you and your children feel excited about the potential move-in?
Does your spouse have a good relationship with the relative? How does he or she feel about the move-in? You want to make sure everyone is on-board with the decision and is prepared for potential sacrifices and responsibility. Consider meals, noise levels in the house and everyone’s preferences and styles. Can family members adapt to be compatible to accommodate multiple generations, in addition to possible care?
6. Will you have enough time to care for yourself?
If you’re working full time, you need to seriously consider whether you can handle the additional stress of having a dependent, older adult at home. Being a caregiver is hard work that many people don’t realize until they’re in the situation.
Many caregivers have lost or given up their jobs because they can’t juggle competing demands of work and taking care of an older adult. They are also prone to illness from exhaustion and stress if they’re not taking time for themselves. It’s important to replenish your own body, mind and spirit by having your own activities and time. You need to consider whether you can balance everything.
There are many support groups for caregivers, both in-person and online. It helps to realize you’re not alone in what you’re going through.
7. Your elderly loved one, what kind of social life will this arrangement offer them?
When a relative moves in with you, he or she may be leaving his or her own social network and friends. Not only that, it can be especially hard for some older people to adjust to a new environment, especially if they’re set in their ways.
Depression and loneliness from isolation could become an issue.
During your Senior Living career you have the pleasure of meeting many wonderful seniors and families, we still enjoy and recognize the reaction of a visiting family member or loved one commenting: she or he was in a hurry to have a meal with their friends.
Vista Living Senior Care believes a social life for seniors is very important and you’ll need to understand they can and may greatly benefit and thrive in an environment with friends their own age.
Families opt to move their aging loved one or relatives into assisted living — where there is 24-hour access to personal care, as well as nutrition and wellness services designed specifically for older adults. Seniors can enjoy social contact, security and support while still maintaining their independence.
If you’re still on the fence and struggling with the answer, then its down to 2 things: Care & Cost. Notice Care first, it’s only fair to ask, “Will someone else be able to provide the same level of care that I do?” Vista Living Senior Care Arcadia believes we can, and affordably.
We urge you to consider Vista Living Senior Care for your family. Please schedule a tour of one of our purpose built 10-resident Luxury Senior Care Communities in the Phoenix Arcadia area, between Scottsdale & Biltmore. We know we have something special. Let us show you.
For more information please call Vista Living Senior Care at our main line at (602) 456-1919 or email info@vistaliving.net.
Vista Living Senior Care Arcadia
Many of us have seen a senior who is struggling in their home. Some seniors silently believe they have a whole network of support from family and friends.
Daughters may call their mom once a day to inquire if their senior parent is okay OR no answer could mean they fell again and need help.
• Senior falls often lead to dangerous issues including fractured hips
• 911 calls
• skilled nursing care
• physically therapy
• 24/7 care
A son may set up medications in a pillbox for his senior parent, and then call two or three times a day to make sure his parent has taken them.
• This can be effective until the senior gets confused and says “What are these pills for? I don’t want to take them.”
• Not being there in person twice a day to make sure the senior properly ingests the pills can be an issue.
Kind neighbors may make an extra plate of dinner every night and take it to their senior neighbor.
• Neighbors get:
• Frustrated and burned out
• Worried and begin spending more time away from their own family
• This type of support does not last forever
Daughters may spend every other Saturday or Sunday cleaning mom’s house, grocery shopping, and setting up her senior parent to successfully survive for another two weeks.
• No matter how close or how far away the daughter lives, this type of help eventually turns into every Saturday or Sunday. If the daughter works full time, then what?
What is the answer to a senior struggling to manage in their home?
It starts with patience and persistence. As soon as the struggle becomes apparent it is time to start a discussion. You may focus on how the current home is an injury trap, or worse for the elderly, but sooner or later its time to have “The Talk”. Knowing what to expect may make it a bit easier to prepare.
There are five typical results in having “The Talk” with a senior:
1. Denial: “I am just fine living in my own home. I am not ready yet.”
2. Shutting down: “I don’t want to discuss this.”
3. Anger: “Why are you questioning my ability to be independent? Leave me alone.”
4. Confusion: “Don’t you want to come see me everyday? I don’t understand.”
5. Acceptance: “I understand that I have become a burden. Maybe it’s time to look at what my senior housing options could be. I am tired of being lonely. Will you help me look?”
Vista Living Senior Care is located in the Phoenix Arcadia area, between Scottsdale and Biltmore, and our team has helped seniors improve the quality of their life by making our purpose built, 10-resident luxury assisted living homes something special.
No one ever chooses memory care or skilled nursing, but those may be the only options for many seniors who waited too long and ended up in a health care crisis needing 24/7 care and can never return home. We are part of your team, a team working hard to provide a high level of senior care, at an affordable price, in an enriching environment.
We urge you to consider Vista Living Senior Care Arcadia for your family. Please schedule a tour of one of our purpose built 10-resident Luxury Senior Care Communities in the Phoenix Arcadia area. We know we have something special. Let us show you.
For more information please call Vista Living Senior Care at our main line at (602) 456-1919 or email info@vistaliving.net and subscribe.
It’s not easy to bear the burden of having to move your elderly loved one into an assisted living facility. It’s especially more challenging when they are used to living on their own and is not too fond of the idea of moving to another facility
However, there may come a time when your loved one will need assistance in doing everyday activities and when this happens, you may need to start making all the necessary arrangements. But the question is: how will you know when it’s time to transfer your loved one to an assisted living facility?
Although the situation varies, there are surefire signs that you can identify whether your love done is better off in an assisted living facility or not. Having trouble with handling finances, personal care, household chores, or any slight, unusual change in their everyday habits may be a few obvious reasons.
Certain situations call for the need to make an alternative living arrangement for your loved one. When you start noticing these signs, they may need the type of care that can only be provided by assisted living facilities. Here are 9 signs to look out for:
- Accidents Become Frequent
Did you notice that your loved one experiences more falls frequently? Did he/she experience a medical scare? Accidents are likely to happen as your loved one ages. As a family member, you should be able to think of ways to prevent these situations from happening. With that said, opting to move your loved one to an assisted living facility may be the best choice to make. These facilities have staff that is equipped to assist and checks on them from time to time.
- Care Becomes More Demanding
Being a caregiver can be exhausting. When you notice that both you and your loved one are starting to become tired and frustrated with the care your loved one needs, it may be a sign that you should start seeking for help. Are the everyday needs of your loved one becoming more and more demanding? If so, it may be one of the reasons why the caregivers may feel worn down and the more you should consider moving your loved one to an assisted living facility.
- Basic Everyday Tasks Are Becoming More Challenging
Most seniors would prefer to stay independent and may overlook the challenge of taking care of themselves as they grow older. They tend to claim that they can still perform the basic everyday tasks such as taking a bath or dressing. However, this may not be true all the time. If you start detecting a mild body odor or notice the same set of clothes being worn for a few days straight, it might be another sign that they need to be transferred to an assisted living facility where their needs would be well taken care of.
- Financial Management is Affected
Overlooking bills and financial obligations arecommon among older people. If you find an unusual thank you letters from charities you don’t recognize or open a letter from a bank referring to late payments or overdrawn balances in your loved one’s mail, it may be an early indication of cognitive problem thereby increasing their need to be transferred to an assisted living facility.
- Changes in Diet
If you notice your loved one becoming thinner and thinner every time you see him/her, you might want to check their diet. This situation needs to be attended to immediately since it may lead to complications. Constantly taking out food that has gone bad in the fridge is an indication that your loved one may need to be moved to an assisted living facility.
- Housekeeping May Become Overlooked
It’s a known fact that keeping the house clean is one way of keeping the overall health of people in check. However, when the main person who keeps the home in order to grow older, cleaning may become difficult for them. Failing to keep up with the household chores may be an indication that your loved one may need the care provided by senior care facilities.
- Lesser Social Interactions
Think about the social connections your loved one has. As a person ages, their social circles tend to shrink and they become more prone social isolation which may be a result of some of their friends or significant others passing away or moving away to other places. However, this lack of companionship may be remedied if they move to an assisted living facility where they may be able to interact with other residents through recreational activities designed especially for them thereby allowing them to form a new social circle.
- Leaving Them Alone At Home May Not Be Safe Anymore
Stairs become one of the most hated enemies of people as they grow old. Aside from it being difficult to manage, stairs are also an avenue for deadly falls. Considering your loved one’s current living situation affects your decision on whether or not assisted living facility is best for them. Moreover, going outside alone may be dangerous for your elderly loved one especially if they have the tendency to wander.
- Early Signs of Cognitive Deterioration
The time may come when your elderly loved one’s memory may not be as sharp as before. When a person starts noticing cognitive deterioration among their loved one as an effect of aging, it may be time for them to seek assisted living facilities where their loved one’s needs may be tended to day and night.
Denial is Part of The Journey
Even when all the signs are evident, there will still be instances where the loved one and the family will be in denial of the fact that the move to an assisted living facility is necessary. This holds true for people whose loved ones are against the idea of assisted living.
As a matter of fact, denial is a very common case. The only problem in this situation is that: family members often don’t know how to face the problem and talk their loved one into moving. If you find yourself in this situation, you may consider hiring a geriatric manager who is highly trained help you walk through the process of convincing your loved one.You may be able to find one through National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers should you ever find yourself having trouble in looking for one.
Be Realistic
Evaluating the needs of your loved one is essential before deciding a senior care program that is fit for them since the type of services offered is different in each senior communities. Typically, assisted living facilities are designed to fill in the disparity between assistance and independence. The only people who are able to determine the level of care your loved one needs are the caregiver, you as a family member, and your loved one’s doctor.
Caring for your elderly loved one doesn’t necessarily have to be a difficult task. If you start noticing the telltale signs that your loved one may need to be assisted in his/her everyday routine, you may be able to contact assisted living facilities. This way, you would be able to put your mind to rest knowing that your loved one is well taken care of.
Growing old is inevitable. Eventually, your loved ones’ needs will change, becoming more and more demanding over time. Factors such as physical health or mental health decline contribute to the need of our loved ones to be transferred to a senior care facility. In choosing which facility to move, the design is an important factor. Most seniors tend to choose a place where they can feel at home than a hospital-looking one. Long-term care facilities can help your loved ones accomplish the daily activities through the help of our highly trained staff.
It’s no wonder why assisted living is the best senior care available today. There is, however, the matter of whether or not these facilities are able to handle senior residents who have cognitive diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. It’s important to know that the answer depends on what care the facility is able to provide.
Dementia is a common condition among the residents that are living in an assisted living facility but the problem is, most of them are misdiagnosed and as a result, they’re not given the proper care and medication that they need. In fact, 42% of the seniors in assisted living care facilities have some cognitive dysfunction or dementia according to the 2016 Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures by the Alzheimer’s Association and these numbers continue to rise every day and of all the living facilities in the country, only 58% of these offers a memory care program for seniors.
If you’re thinking of moving your senior loved one to a long-term care facility, it is important to know the facts first. The most important thing to know is whether or not the facility of your choice would be able to cater all the needs of your loved ones. But before that, it is important to be able to distinguish the difference between an assisted living facility and other communities that offer senior care and the services they offer.
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living differs from a nursing home in a way that an assisted living facility is not licensed similarly to a nursing home. Assisted living also does not offer medical assistance on-site and mainly focuses on the independence of seniors and primarily tends to their unscheduled needs.
Generally, assisted living assists seniors in the daily activities such as bathing, grooming, mobility, meal preparation, as well as medication management. It also includes housekeeping and laundry services. Most assisted living facilities usually accept senior residents who don’t need a comprehensive and constant medical care.
Assisted Living for Seniors with Dementia
It is a fact that the number of seniors diagnosed with dementia rises each day. Though there are a lot of facilities that provide memory care for their residents with cognitive problems, the programs they provide varies. For example, one facility may only be able to provide care for people who have mild dementia and the other assisted living facility may accept residents diagnosed with a later stage.
Assisted living facilities that are made to provide special care for residents with Alzheimer’s are also common though they vary from one facility to the other.
With this, it is really important to look up facilities beforehand. Researching could help you become well-informed of the services that are covered by each assisted living facility, therefore, could help you in choosing the best place for your loved one.
Special Care Units (SCUs) is the term used to refer to assisted living facilities that provide a comprehensive care for seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Residents are assisted and tended to by highly trained professionals. These differ from an ordinary living facility in a way that these facilities provide programs that aim to repair or improve the cognitive function of the residents and their community are specifically intended and designed to suit the needs of residents with dementia.
Assisted Living For Seniors With Advanced Stages of Alzheimer’s
While most of the assisted living facilities only accept residents with an early stage of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, some facilities offer a more comprehensive care as the symptoms of this disease worsen. Moving the senior to a nursing facility or a nursing home ensures that the residents will be able to receive the care they need 24/7 from highly trained staff.
Although some facilities may just focus on providing assistance to residents with early or late stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s, there are also other facilities that offer long-term care for people regardless of what stage of Alzheimer’s they’re in.
Choosing The Right Assisted Living Facility
The best way of knowing which facility to move your loved one into is by visiting them. This way, you’ll be able to assure that all their needs will be managed and taken care of. If you have a list of facilities you’re considering, it’s better to visit all of them. This way, you’ll be able to compare the services and programs they offer. To help you in choosing the right one, here is a list of the things you need to consider in an assisted living facility to transfer your loved one into:
- The design of the facility – nonslip floors, good lighting, or proper locks.
- The level of security – monitoring system and motion detectors.
- Well-devised programs that are available to the residents.
- Warmhearted Staff.
- The time it takes for the personnel to take information that they can use in order to provide the care that would match the needs of the residents while ensuring the safety and well-being of each senior.
- The atmosphere of the facility.
- Highly trained professionals that are capable of handling patients with difficult behaviors
- Different varieties of activities that are designed to improve the cognitive functions of residents with dementia.
- Activities that would spark the interests of residents (i.e. recreational activities)
- The residents that are currently living in the facility – do look healthy? Are they happy?
- Does the facility have a place where residents may be able to enjoy their hobbies (i.e walking, gardening, etc.) or space where they will be allowed to relax?
- Activities that celebrate simple accomplished tasks such as making the bed or cleaning their room.
Asking The Right Questions
In addition to the list of considerations, here are also some questions to ask the assisted living personnel to know more about the workings of their facility:
- How many caregivers are on duty per shift? How about during weekends and holidays?
- How many rooms does the facility have?
- How many residents are living in the facility?
- How many residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are currently living in the facility?
- What if there’s an emergency? Is there a structured plan during emergencies?
- What is the level of care offered by the facility?
- What levels of care would the facility be able to offer residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s?
- Are transportations available for residents should they need it?
- Are the caregivers capable enough to handle dementia care for residents? How are they going to handle the wandering and difficult behaviors of their residents with dementia?
- What is the caregiver-patient ratio of the facility?
- Are there any arrangements regarding medical equipment such as wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, and others?
- Will seniors with incontinence problems allowed?
- Can a facility kick out a resident due to bad behavior?
- Would the seniors be allowed to carry personal items to the facility with them?
- Will medications be given in order to control the residents’ behavior?
- Is there a need to transfer the senior should the symptoms of their disease progress over time?
- What is the process of administering medications to residents?
- What are the safety precautions for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia?
Moving your loved one at an assisted living would assure you that they will be given the best care no matter their condition. The services that long-term care facilities would be able to give their residents include but are not limited to:
- Activities that focus on improving their mental and physical health
- A feeling of independence
- Exercises such as walking to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Empathetic staff that is able to understand the needs of each individual
Long-term care provided by assisted living facilities is important when your loved one isn’t capable of doing their daily activities without assistance. Knowing the facts beforehand is a crucial step in choosing which facility to choose. It’s the only way to ensure their safety while their needs are well-tended.
Assisted living facilities provide alternative senior housing that is intended for seniors who may need an extra helping hand in doing everyday tasks such as medication management, bathing, dressing, and eating but do not necessarily need a 24-hour monitoring such as those offered by nursing homes.
Recent estimates show that more or less 1.2 million seniors in the United States are currently living in over 30,000 assisted living facilities in the country. On average, a senior transfer from a private living arrangement to an assisted living facility earns at least $30,000 yearly and is usually an 80-year-old female who is still capable of doing regular routines with little help.
A senior resident typically stays in an assisted living facility for an average of three years before they need to be moved to a community that offers monitoring 24/7 such as nursing homes. There are, however, circumstances that contribute to a resident being discharged from an assisted living facility. These include:
- Inability to continue the payments for the facility
- Seniors relocate back to their homes
- Staying in a hospital
- Moving to another senior care facility
The Rights of a Senior
Assisted living facilities are best for your senior loved one of they’re still able to do things on their own. Although they are independent, assisted living facilities still provide them with the care they need. Deciding to transfer your loved one to an assisted living facility enables them to maximize their capacities since they are exposed in a safe and supportive environment.
Moreover, the residents are also entitled to his/her rights in an assisted living facility. These rights include:
- Right to be treated with dignity and respect
- Freedom from any forms of neglect and abuse
- Respecting their views on religion and allowing them to practice their belief
- The right to privacy and personal space
- Managing their own financial affairs unless legally restricted
- To have a safe and homey environment
- Freedom from being discriminated
There are other rights that your loved one may be able to enjoy in an assisted living facility. For the complete list and information, you may be able to visit assistedlivingfacilities.org.
Living Arrangements, Services, and Amenities of an Assisted Living Facility
The beauty of assisted living facilities is that they provide residents with vast choices when it comes to living arrangements. Most facilities may look like a home and may allow residents to avail a private or a shared room, depending on their preferences. Some facilities may even offer its residents with a studio apartment, dormitory type pads, or a shared one-bedroom apartment. They may also be allowed to choose a fully-furnished or an unfurnished space.
Assisted living facilities offer a lot of services to its residents. Some may also offer extra services if they need it. But usually, the basic services that a regular assisted living facility may offer its residents are:
- Assistance with the basic daily routines such as bathing, dressing, eating, and medication management.
- Administering medications and providing basic health assistance.
- 24/7 security services
- Group exercises
- Wellness programs
- Scheduled Recreational activities
- Social services
- Housekeeping and maintenance services
- Laundry services
- Transportation services
- Activities that stimulate their cognitive reasoning
- Meal preparation
- Emergency call systems and protocols
The services that are offered to the residents vary in each facility. The more specific a senior is about his/her preference, the more they’ll likely look for a facility that would provide them with what they need.
Assisted Living Costs and Fees
When it comes to the costs of assisted living facilities, the most basic price usually include the services that are mentioned above. However, should your loved one need other services such as haircuts, nail care, or any other activities aside from the basic services offered, additional costs may apply. You may be able to talk with the management regarding the pricing of the additional services.
Generally, assisted living facilities cost lesser than nursing homes since they only provide housing and basic care to seniors. This type of senior care community costs approximately $2,000 but it could go lower or higher depending on some factors such as size, location, and the living arrangements.
Government programs such as Medicaid, Social Services Block Grant, Veteran Aid, or Supplementary Security Income may help you in cutting the costs of assisted living. A few states may also allow you to make use of tax-exempt bonds or Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs). Seniors may also be able to use their long-term care insurance in covering the costs for assisted living facilities; however, they won’t be able to use Medicare.
Quality of Assisted Care
Deciding to transfer your loved one into may require you to do a deep and intensive research. Knowing the policies and regulation allows you to narrow down your list of facilities that would give your loved one the best care.
As of today, there are still no federal regulation policies with regards to assisted living facilities but with the increasing number of facilities, most states are working to create a system that would regulate their operation. In fact, out of five states, two already have a working regulatory system, one is already revising their regulatory system, and 10 out of 50 states are already looking into assisted living.
Furthermore, you should also evaluate certain things relating to the assisted living facility including its administration and staff’s qualifications. With that said, the following are other factors you need to consider:
- Ability to manage the facility
- Experience with handling residents in assisted living
- Educational background
- Regular participation in training and seminars or making sure to remain up to date with techniques and activities to improve their service to residents.
The number of staff hired by the assisted living facility typically varies depending on the services offered, a total number of residents, or how big the facility is. Assessing this aspect would ensure that your loved one would be able to choose an assisted living facility that would cater all his/her needs. Usually, caregivers, nutritionists, administrators, physical therapists, medical team, wellness and health directors, and beauticians are hired by facilities in order to serve the needs of other residents.
To further assess the workforce of a facility, here are some of the factors you need to look out for:
- Will the staff be able to cater the scheduled needs of their residents without any delay?
- Should the need arise, will they be able to tend to the unscheduled needs of the seniors?
- Are they capable of giving thorough and direct answers to any questions asked by the senior’s families?
- Does the staff have enough skills, education, and training that is necessary for the job?
Finding the Right Assisted Living Facility
When finding the right facility to move your loved one into, you need to be assured that his/her needs would be tended. In order to make sure that you’re choosing the right facility, here are some questions you can ask:
- In what ways are we able to pay for the fees of the facility?
- What services are inclusive of the monthly plan?
- Will the fees be flexible should my loved one’s needs change?
- Even if there’s no change in the needs of my loved one, is it still possible that the fees will change? If that’s the case, how much notice will residents be given?
- Is a deposit necessary? Would the deposit be refunded should my loved one change her mind and move to another facility or back home?
- What are the complete services offered by your facility?
- Is there any policy regarding outside services? If there is, what is the policy?
- How is the level of care needed by my loved one assessed? How often do they need to be evaluated?
Looking for the best assisted living facility may cause us to overlook some things including the opinions of our loved ones. Even if we’re busy looking after their well-being, consulting them before making any big decisions could help make things easier. The important thing is they will feel safe, comfortable, and at home in the facility.
How Assisted Living and Hospice Work Together?
What comes to your mind when you hear the term hospice? Most people assume that when a senior’s health drastically declines, they would either have to physically move into a nursing home or a hospice. However, contrary to popular belief, this isn’t always true.
One of the most common misconceptions about hospice is that a lot of people still believe that ‘hospice’ is a place where seniors go to get treatment. While there are hospice facilities in the US, there are only a few of them. The term hospice pertains to a team of professionals who visits the elderly in their own homes – wherever they are located. Simply put, they are the ones who will go to the senior, rather than the other way around.
This is because seniors with terminal illnesses would rather spend their last days in the comforts of their own homes than in hospitals, nursing or hospice facilities. For the one million Americans seniors residing in assisted living facilities, they have considered these facilities to be their home. These seniors have formed lasting relationships with the staff, caregivers, and fellow residents.
Most assisted living facilities do not have an in-house hospice unit. In that case, the majority of them partner with community-based hospice companies so they can provide hospice services should their residents need it.
Hospice Care
One of the goals of hospice care is to lessen the pain and discomfort the patient feels when their illness is no longer appropriate for treatment. Medicare and other private healthcare insurance plans usually cover the cost of hospice care.
Hospice care is more than just giving medications – painkillers, sedatives, and whatnot. The care a hospice patient receives goes beyond medication management. Hospice care strives to maintain the best quality of life for your loved one for as long as possible. The hospice team not only ensures that the caregivers are well-versed on how to properly take care of the patient, but also provides emotional support and counseling to the patient and their loved ones. One of the primary goals of hospice care is to give the elderly an honorable, comfortable end of life.
Many assisted living facilities all over the United States are equipped with providing hospice care for their residents during their stay with the community. They are able to reap the benefits of hospice care without having to transfer to another facility or nursing home. However, in some states such as North Dakota, Idaho, Mississippi, and Montana, the state requires that hospice care should only be given outside assisted living facilities.
Since assisted living facilities do not provide comprehensive care, they cannot assure that they can accommodate residents until their last days. Terminally ill seniors require extensive and consistent medical care. In this case, senior residents may have to move into a hospital or nursing home. However, if the senior does not need comprehensive care or need to be hospitalized, they can very much receive hospice care in the assisted living facility.
Providing Comfort and Care
When medications and treatments are no longer working for your elderly loved one, hospice care takes over to give them the assistance, care, and comfort they need in times of distress. The hospice team works together with caregivers and other assisted living staff in order to create and provide the best care for senior residents.
Another misconception about hospice care is that it precipitates mortality. However, this isn’t true. Research suggests that seniors receiving hospice care live longer and better lives as opposed to seniors who do not. There are a lot of common misconceptions about hospice care, but it is simply a philosophy of care that aims to put your loved one’s interests in mind.
Assisted Living Facilities
An Assisted Living Facility is a type of senior care option for seniors who only require minimal aid in activities of daily living.
It helps seniors to remain independent in a safe and healthy environment while providing them with the assistance they need.
A lot of assisted living facilities are an advocate of the philosophy ‘aging in place’. This means that the senior resident will receive care, one way or another, without having to leave the facility. Aging in place enables the residents to reside in their senior community of choice for as long as they want – from post-retirement and even to the end-of-life stage. This gives seniors a sense of security in their long-term care planning.
Assisted Living and Hospice Care: Working Together
Since an assisted living community is primarily for seniors who require minimal assistance, are these facilities able to accommodate residents approaching the end-of-life stage?
The Center for Excellence in Assisted Living says that in most cases, hospice care is available. Besides, hospice care was initially designed to be an in-home service with only the clinicians present from the agency. As mentioned, many assisted living facilities’ staff work with hospice agencies to determine the type and level of care needed by the patient.
Hospice care providers visit seniors residing in assisted living facilities who are terminally ill or at the end-of-life stage. The Assisted Living Federation of America states that approximately one-third of seniors in assisted living communities receive end-of-life care within the community.
When is Hospice the right choice?
There are several factors caregivers or family members can look out for that indicates when hospice care is appropriate for your loved one. These include:
- Sudden or rapid unintentional weight loss
- More frequent trips to the emergency room or the doctor’s office
- An obvious decline in the senior’s physical and mental health status
- A decline in the senior’s level of mobility, requiring numerous interventions by the facility’s staff
- Requiring more assistance when it comes to daily activities or when the senior has become visibly weaker
- The senior chooses to stop any aggressive treatment options
- Underlying disease of the senior is rapidly progressing causing a new diagnosis
If you or the facility notice a steady decline in your loved one’s health or for seniors who are given a prognosis of six months or less, hospice care may be recommended by the facility or the senior’s medical team.
Dying is never easy. It takes a toll on the senior and his/her loved ones. However, it is inevitable; which is why hospice care ensures that your loved one will pass away with dignity and honor they so rightly deserve.
As your loved one ages, it is best to be prepared for every possibility – even the end-of-life stage. Assisted living facilities work with hospice care providers to accommodate the ever-changing needs of their residents so they don’t have to move into another facility.
