How Does Assisted Living Work?

For families with aging parents, understanding how assisted living works is an important step in making the best decision for your loved one’s care. Assisted living is a type of senior housing that provides supportive services to help older Americans live as independently as possible. In this article, we will cover what you can expect from assisted living, how to find the right community, and things to consider when it is time to make a decision.

What to Expect from Assisted Living

When looking into assisted living, it is important to understand which services are offered at each community. Generally speaking, assisted living communities provide housekeeping services, meals, transportation and social activities. Some communities may also offer additional services such as medication management, physical therapy, and memory care.

Assisted living communities typically offer a variety of living arrangements. These may include studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and shared living spaces.

Assisted Living vs Nursing Homes

Assisted living communities differ from nursing homes in that their residents might need some help with daily tasks, but are still healthy and able to do most things for themselves. Nursing homes are for those who need a higher level of medical care for an ongoing health issue. Residents usually stay in nursing homes longer than in hospitals, but not as long as they stay in assisted living.

Signs It Is Time for Assisted Living

Despite the many benefits assisted living has to offer, making the decision to move your loved one to assisted living is not always easy, especially if your loved one is resistant to the idea. But if they are starting to experience some of the following signs, you might need to make the decision for them.

• A Higher Rate of Accidents: We all experience moments of clumsiness or lose our balance from time to time. But if your loved one appears to be constantly complaining about some new bump, bruise, or scrape they acquired, it is time for assisted living.
• Lower Levels of Cleanliness: Personal hygiene and housekeeping are usually among the first things to go when people start having trouble caring for themselves. Whether they think they cleaned more recently than they did, or they are having trouble with the physical tasks of cleaning, if your loved one appears to be having trouble taking care of themselves or their home, it is time to look into assisted living.
• Unpaid Bills Are Piling Up: Unpaid bills are also an early sign someone is having trouble taking care of themselves. Numbers and dates tend to be confusing for those in the early stages of dementia, so if you notice unpaid bill piling up in your loved one’s home, you need to start thinking about assisted living.

Finding the Right Assisted Living Community

When researching assisted living communities, there are several questions that families should ask, including

• What type of services are included?
• What types of activities are offered?
• Where is the community located?
• Is there access to medical care?

In addition to asking these questions, it is important to visit each community in person to get a better sense of what it has to offer. Talk to the staff so you can ask them what a typical day in their assisted living community is like.

Assisted Living at Stillwater Senior Living

The right assisted living community can provide increased safety through access to medical care and social activities, while allowing your loved one to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible. If you have any questions about the services we provide to our residents, just reach out to start the conversation. We are always happy to help.