If you’ve decided that your senior loved one needs daily care, choosing whether to use home care or move them to an assisted living facility can feel overwhelming. Both options are viable, but they affect seniors in very different ways. Let’s look briefly at each.

What is assisted living?

Assisted living and home care provide many of the same services, including:

  • Medication management
  • Meal services
  • Social activities
  • Help with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, grooming, etc.)

The most significant difference between the two types of care is that assisted living care is provided in a facility the senior must move to, while home care is provided in the senior’s usual place of residence (their home, apartment, condo, etc.).

Assisted living facilities have aides on staff around the clock to assist residents with personal care needs. Many communities also have nurses on site.

Assisted living communities to provide additional benefits and services, including:

  • Game rooms
  • Movie theatres
  • Concierge services
  • Beauty salons/barber shops
  • Gyms

Because of high facility and staffing costs, assisted living can be expensive. According to insurance company Genworth, the median price for a senior to live in an assisted living facility in 2021 was $4,300 per month or $51,600 per year. Depending on the state of residence, annual costs are rising by 3% to 7% per year.

Assisted living has several advantages, including:

  • Flexibility: stays in assisted living facilities can be short-term or long-term.
  • Standard 24-hour care: is included in the monthly costs.
  • Social activities: many assisted living facilities to offer a steady stream of activities, such as arts and crafts, games, and other social activities.

What is home care?

Home care provides companionship, transportation, and daily assistance for seniors living at home. The level of services offered and how frequently a caregiver assists will vary based on the senior’s individual needs.

Home care services offered by professional home care agencies include:

  • Companion care
  • Help with activities of daily living (bathing, grooming, dressing, eating, toileting, mobility)
  • Light housekeeping
  • Meal preparation
  • 24-hour live-in care
  • Transportation
  • Medication supervision
  • Respite care
  • Alzheimer’s and dementia care

Home care also has its advantages:

Seniors get to age at home

Multiple studies have found that over 80% of adults over age 50 want to stay at home as they grow older, not move to a facility.

Companionship

At-home caregivers build one-on-one relationships with their care recipient and a personal relationship with the family.

Customized care

In-home caregivers focus on the needs and lifestyle of the person being cared for and provide care to meet that individual’s needs, not group needs.

Which is better: assisted living or home care?

Neither type of care is better – they’re different. Someone needing permanent 24-hour care may find an assisted living facility or nursing home necessary.

Many families choose home care to keep their loved ones safe at home and receive more personalized care. They prefer that their aging seniors not have to be uprooted and adjust to an entirely new lifestyle if it’s not necessary.

Elder Home Care can help you evaluate your options and make the right choice for your loved one. We’ll be happy to talk with you about your loved one’s needs, and if we feel home care will benefit them, we’ll develop a personalized care plan that will keep them safe, happy, and healthy at home.

Contact us today for a FREE, no-obligation assessment and learn more about our services. We’re family-owned, and we help seniors throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, Manhattan, Westchester, Abington, PA, and the Port Washington area.