Assisted Living Residence vs Nursing Home

By CarePatrol

Many times we get calls telling us that a family member or an individual senior needs to move into a “Nursing Home”. After speaking with them and delving more into a Care Discovery, we find that they actually do not need a nursing home and would be fine at an assisted living residence. Let’s see the differences between the two and see why an Assisted Living community may be a better choice.

Most people know what a Nursing Home is. That is when a senior requires extensive medical care such as a ventilator, or any condition requiring 24-hour nursing care that cannot be provided at home for any reason, a nursing home is an appropriate choice. Another reason one might want or need for a nursing home is finance. Nursing homes accept Medicaid and Medicare. If one does not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare runs out, the cost of private pay in a nursing home can be as high as $10000 per month or more.

Assisted Living communities, in contrast, are mainly private pay. They provide much of the care of a nursing home. In most cases, as long as the resident does not need serious medical care, they can live a comfortable high-quality life. They are normally apartment type living with organized activities, events for seniors, meals, and transportation. They also provide everyday necessities such as salons, banking and a convenience store on the premises. In summary, they are like an all-inclusive resort. Along with the above, it is a very social setting allowing the residents to be a part of a community as much as they like or they may prefer to live a more private life.

For those residents that require help, caregivers are provided for Activities of Daily Living such as bathing, getting dressed, medical reminders, and anything else that may be needed. In most cases, a resident can live a fruitful comfortable life, in an Assisted Living community, until the end. A final point is that in general, the cost for private pay is a lot less than a Nursing Home.