Important Differences Between Home Care and Assisted Living

Health challenges push decisions about where a senior loved one should live to the forefront. Families often try to take care of their elderly family members on their own, but dementia and mobility issues take a serious toll on caregivers’ health and well-being. The important differences between housing and healthcare requirements show families what to do when faced with these life-changing experiences.  

Where the Senior Lives

Families and their elderly loved ones discuss the most appropriate living arrangements for the seniors according to their needs. Many seniors want to stay in their homes for as long as possible to remain independent. Unfortunately, as their health declines, the elderly person needs someone to help take care of them. In many families, a family member steps into this role, but work and family demands make it impossible to manage daily care for their aging loved one.

The family must choose between assisted living in Simi Valley or an in-home nurse. The decision isn’t just about a choice between staying home or moving into a community, but instead, the decision is between improving the person’s quality of life and addressing each individualized need they have. 

Managing the Cost of In-Home Care Versus Assisted Living

The budget constraints related to paying for care define which option is affordable but also involve what resources are available. Healthcare insurance policies have limits on in-home nursing care. Some families use disability insurance to pay for the services, but coverage from the policies also runs out.  Families are often left with hiring workers to stay with their loved ones who don’t have formal training.

How Does the Senior Socialize?

Socialization is important to all elderly individuals, and studies show that isolation leads to premature death and lower quality of life. In-home care nurses give the client a companion, but it isn’t the same as the person living in a senior community. The nurses don’t relate well with the seniors if they aren’t from the same generation.

These generation gaps won’t give the elderly person a friend that understands their life stories because younger people didn’t have similar life experiences. A decision to set the loved one up in a community that offers assisted living with memory care is often more helpful in keeping them social. 

Securing Wandering Loved Ones With Dementia

In communities designed for assisted living in Simi Valley, there are secured living spaces for residents that have dementia. Once a senior reaches the stage of dementia where they get lost and wander off alone, families must take action. An in-home nurse watches over the client, but all it takes is one trip to the bathroom and the nurse could lose the senior. Assisted living offers security for these residents, and families won’t face circumstances where law enforcement has to help them find a missing elderly loved one. 

Managing Meal Preparation

Meal preparation is another difference between assisted living and in-home care. A senior community has cooks who prepare meals according to dietary restrictions that are healthier for seniors. These cooks and dietitians have plenty of time to create well-balanced meals that don’t cause negative results. 

In-home care nurses prepare meals for the client, but these meals are completed quickly to keep the focus on the senior. The nurses don’t have the luxury of time to make healthy or well-balanced meals, but instead, they make the foods that take less time to prepare and serve. 

The Toll of At-Home Care On a Family Member

Some family members want to take on at-home care for elderly loved ones themselves and become their caregivers. If the loved one has dementia, the effects of daily care are mentally taxing on the family member, and the impact causes a decline in quality of life for both parties. Assisted living communities give seniors everything they need, and their family visits as frequently as they choose.  

Access to Memory Care Services

Memory care services are available every day through these communities. A person diagnosed with dementia can get in-home memory care services, but the cost of these visits increases the overall expense for the family. 

A Beautiful New Home for Your Senior

At Vista at Simi Valley, we have lovely homes for seniors and a friendly staff to help residents who need extra help. Our community is beautiful and gives all residents the amenities they need to improve their quality of life and enjoy their golden years. Visit our wonderful community to find out more about what we have to offer.