Assisted Living vs Independent Living: Which is Best for Your Loved One?

When a senior is no longer comfortable or safe living at home, you can arrange for them to move into a living community. The key to choosing the most viable community is accessing the needs of your loved one. Basically, with assisted living, seniors receive help 24/7. There is always someone to help with the day to day activities such as bathing, meals, medication and doctor appointments. The services are part of the monthly fee and will differ from community to community.
With independent communities, as the name suggests, seniorslive independently, handling most activities and personal care on their own. There is minimal personal support. Mostly, seniors who move into independent living communities are those who require minimal care but desire to connect with other seniors to avoid being lonely. Independent living communities can also be a good option for seniors who find home care costly. Both living options have their benefits. Below are some factors to consider when deciding if your loved one should move to assisted or independent living communities.
Health Status
What’s the health condition of your loved one? Do they need reminders with medications or someone to book their doctor’s appointments and drive them to the hospital? Someone can be sick but still do all this on their own comfortably. However, others need constant reminders. Thus, if your loved one regularly forgets to take their medication or can’t fully do all that’s required for their health condition, then assisted living would be a better choice. However, if he or she can take care of the medication and appointments, independent living can work even if they are unwell. But, it’s good to check on them regularly to ensure they are doing ok. This is because as they age, they may find it difficult to do things that were easy when they moved to independent living. If that happens, you would have to move them from independent to assisted living.
Personal Care and Errands
Does your loved one have difficulties taking a bath and performing other self-care activities? Some seniors may not be able to take care of themselves due to illnesses or just aging. Thus, if one has issues with bathing, dressing and running errands such as shopping, it would be best to place them in an assisted living facility that offers these services.
Socialization
In both communities, there are opportunities for socialization. Thus, if a senior is lonely at home, either would work for them. But it would not be reasonable to have your senior move into an assisted living facility when they can take care of their health and overall well-being. Independent living would be a much better option since you won’t have to pay for services they don’t need. Since seniors in independent living get minimal care, this option tends to be cheaper than assisted living. Community listing sites like CaringAdvisor.com can be a useful tool when searching and comparing communities to find the most affordable one.
However, don’t give your details or make a payment before you verify that a site or community is legit. Make sure you visit the community before booking an apartment for your loved one.