What is Care and When do you need it as a Senior Citizen?
Care is a term used to encompass a variety of caretaking and caregiving services. This includes care provided at hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, at-home, etc. It also encompasses caregiving provided to different populations, whether it’s children or the elderly, chronically ill, or those who need help after a medical procedure, and the disabled. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on care for the elderly. If this is you or your family member, the first thing to determine is what type of care is necessary. It can be roughly organized into five types of care with increasing supervision:
Types of Care
1. Home Health Aide / At-Home Caregiver
These are either independent caregivers or from an agency that may or may not be Certified Nursing Assistants/Home Care Aides and will provide a variety of care services to individuals in their homes. This may include personal care (such as help with bathing, dressing, and basic hygiene), help with running errands, light housekeeping, and meal preparation, and sometimes administering medications. It can vary depending on the caregiver and the needs of the care seeker. Note that while no certification is required to be a caregiver, certification is often required when looking to get paid from the state as a caregiver.
This is often the first level of care people seek as they can get the care they need in the comfort of their own homes.
2. Senior Living Facility
A senior living facility is often a community where seniors have their own residences while having most of the day-to-day household responsibilities and chores taken care of. These communities will usually provide meal service, laundry, light housekeeping, landscaping, etc., and also provide a social center with activities where seniors socialize with others. Often, these communities do not provide any medical services or additional personal care and a senior living in such a facility may choose to also hire a part-time caregiver if additional care is needed.
3. Assisted Living Facility ($5,350/month)
Assisted living facilities provide all of the services provided by senior living communities and additionally personal care. This includes help with bathing/dressing, taking medications, getting around the community, etc. They also have staff around the clock to contact in case of an emergency. A difference between a senior living facility and an assisted living facility is there will be less privacy. Oftentimes, senior living facilities will be private residences whereas assisted living facilities may be private rooms/bathrooms with shared common areas. This is a good option for those that need around-the-clock care but do not need specialized medical help.
4. Nursing Home ($9,733/month)
A nursing home or Skilled Nursing Facility is a medical facility with skilled nursing assistants staffed around the clock providing full-time care to residents. This often includes medical treatment and rehabilitation services (e.g., help with physical therapy, administration of medications, catheter care, etc.). A chronically ill individual or those that require constant medical attention will be best suited for a nursing home.
5. Memory Care Unit
These are facilities that are similar to nursing homes but with additional safety mechanisms (such as extra locks, and a closed community) to take care of individuals with memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer's. The staff are medical professionals that are trained in caring for individuals with memory issues and may also administer therapies to help improve cognitive function.
Finding care for the first time can be a daunting task. We hope this breakdown helps to narrow down the choices to the type of care needed for you or your loved one. If you have any questions that we have not answered here, please leave us a comment below.
(Note that pricing estimates were taken from the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care survey: Genworth Cost of Care).