Alzheimer’s Care: Home Care vs Assisted Living Facilities
The Different Kinds of Alzheimer’s Care
Alzheimer’s and dementia care is designed to deliver a high level of care for seniors living with progressive, neurodegenerative diseases. In the later stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia, individuals often require full-time nursing assistance from skilled professionals. Thus, knowing what type of Alzheimer’s care works best with a loved one’s situation becomes pivotal when making difficult decisions on how to proceed.
Both home care and assisted living facilities offer pros and cons. Today, we’ll discuss the unique advantages of each option. At Griswold Care Pairing for Miami-Dade, we refer experienced professionals with high-level expertise, specifically trained to care for dementia patients. We refer caregivers that go above and beyond to ensure a safe and sustainable living environment for individuals suffering from cognitive impairment.
In-Home Care: Allowing Seniors with Dementia an Opportunity to Age-in-Place
Most seniors prefer to live out the later years of their life in a cozy, familiar environment surrounded by loved ones. In other words, many elders prefer to live in the comfort of their own homes, where they can tend to long-established routines, surround themselves with heirlooms and personal décor, and sleep in their beds. Additionally, those with dementia may be traumatized by a move to a strange facility, where they are surrounded by strangers.
In-home Alzheimer’s care allows for the at-home lifestyle to endure. The caregivers we refer can assist with everyday tasks, chores, and activities.
Common caregiving services include:
- Hygiene assistance
- Meal prep
- Medication administration
- Care and companionship
- Transportation
- Mobility assistance
- Basic housekeeping
- And much more
The number of caregivers necessary for successful in-home care widely varies depending on the situation and the patient’s needs. We can refer a single caregiver or several caregivers. Whatever you require, you can rest assured knowing you’ll receive premium assistance from licensed home care specialists.
Dementia In-Home Care Services
For our patients with Alzheimer’s and other progressive disorders like Huntington's Disease or Parkinson's Disease, we refer caregivers who specialize in home care services. For those still in the early stages, part-time assistance may suffice. However, 24-hour monitoring may be the wisest option for dementia patients at the advanced stages of the disease.
Alzheimer's home care includes both everyday assistance and full-time memory care. If your family is handling some of the caregiving duties, you may want to obtain a caregiver part-time to provide family members required respite. Respite care will offer you much-needed breaks from caregiving responsibilities. The respite care professionals we refer can take care of errands, cooking, cleaning, hygiene, and much more.
Assisted Living Facilities: Receiving Senior Care in a Community
Assisted living facilities are sometimes referred to as:
- Residential care facilities
- Adult care homes
- Nursing homes
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Long-term care facilities
These communities all provide shared or private rooms to aging seniors. The amenities, activities, and square footage of an assisted facility room will vary greatly depending on the cost and type of community. Many rooms include a small kitchen, while others are limited to a bedroom and bathroom.
There are also many subtle differences between each kind of assisted living facility. Nursing homes, for example, offer constant supervision and medical treatment. An assisted living facility that offers dementia care will likely provide around-the-clock help with bathing, medication management, meal services dressing, laundry, physical therapy, and memory care.
Now that we’ve defined the differences between dementia care received in-home vs. at an assisted living facility, let’s look at some of the variables and upsides unique to each option.
The Pros & Cons of Social Engagement
Studies have shown that socializing, in general, is conducive to long-term health of elderly individuals. However, dementia patients often have difficulty engaging with others in a meaningful manner. Thus, while living alone at home may sound socially isolating, it can sometimes be preferable to living in busy/noisy assisted living facilities. This is especially true for Alzheimer’s patients who get overwhelmed and confused when around strangers.
Among many things, in-home dementia caretakers offer companionship. They can watch TV, play cards, talk about the news, or lead small hands-on activities. Some in-home caregivers can even organize outings to the movies, restaurants, church events, and other activities. Staying at home may also mean friends and family have easier access when it comes to dropping by to say hello.
In an assisted living facility, elders live among other seniors. Many assisted living facilities include organized social events, shared meals, art classes, nightly bingo, and group outings. Surrounded by peers, assisted communities are ideal for healthy, sociable seniors. However, for advanced dementia patients, the bustle and crowds might be overwhelming and detrimental to mental health.
Always Consider Safety & Convenience
Safety should always be prioritized – no matter where one receives caregiving services. At a high quality assisted living facility, elders may have access to 24-hour personal care services and on-site medical staff. Due to familiarity, aging at home can provide even greater safety, but can take extra effort and constant supervision from a qualified caregiver.
Other ways to increase in-home care safety include:
- Installing a medical alert system
- Widening doorways
- Programming medication-reminder technology
- Setting up GPS tracking devices
- Installing stairlifts
An advantage of in-home care is added convenience. This option removes the need to sell property, move, and disrupt routines. Many assisted living facilities impose rules and regulations, including restrictions on pets and smoking. In-home care provides more freedom and flexibility.
Determining The Best Dementia Care for Your Circumstances
According to many studies, most older adults prefer to live in the comfort of their own homes. In-home care can increase happiness, comfort, familiarity, and autonomy, while decreasing stress and anxiety. It’s also much easier for dementia and Alzheimer's patients to be constantly surrounded by familiar settings, furniture, and heirlooms. That’s one of the reasons why dementia patients who receive in-home care visit medical facilities and doctors 50% less than those in assisted facilities.
That said, assisted living facilities offer a warm and welcoming environment as well. It can take adjusting and acclimating but assisted living centers do offer exciting on-site amenities and activities. Patients with early-onset Alzheimer’s or dementia can often enjoy the swimming facilities, bingo events, and communal eating. With more social opportunities and fewer bills, an assisted living facility can offer a simplified service for dementia patients and their families.
Hire a Reliable Caregiving Specialist Today!
Caring for a loved one who’s unable to live independently due to a neurodegenerative condition is not easy. After all, many dementia patients require 24/7 supervised care. Whether you choose home care or an assisted living community, you want to be sure you choose a company you can trust. At Griswold Care Pairing for Miami-Dade, the caregivers we refer go above and beyond to keep seniors safe, healthy, and tended to at all times.
Are you looking for in-home dementia care backed by qualified caregivers? Call (305) 400-0766 today!
