Are you finding that the day-to-day care of your elderly parents is more than you are able to handle on your own? Do your parents require assistance with everyday tasks that you are unable to provide? If so, an assisted living facility or nursing home may be able to provide your parents with the care and services that they need and deserve. However, before you can decide which of these facilities is right for your parents, you will first need to understand the differences between these two facilities.

Assisted Living Facilities

Assisted living facilities, like Casa De Palomas, are designed to provide senior citizens with the help they need completing day-to-day tasks, while still allowing them to maintain as much independence as possible. In order to accomplish this goal, each resident in these facilities will often have their own private apartment or living space. However, each of these residents will also have access to communal resources, such as onsite medical care and assistance with tasks such as cooking and bathing.

In addition to the day-to-day services that assisted living facilities provide, these facilities will often offer residents a social environment that encourages them to remain active. By planning communal events such as bingo, dancing, and arts & crafts, assisted living facilities help to ensure that their residents have ample opportunities to socialize with their neighbors.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes also provide seniors with assistance completing daily tasks, such as bathing and dressing. However, unlike assisted living facilities, the services in a nursing home are always provided by a licensed nurse.

Thanks to the round the clock medical staff that nursing homes offer, these facilities are ideally suited to individuals with serious medical issues. For instance, seniors who are bedridden, recovering from an injury or recent surgery, or who require the constant use of medical equipment such as a respirator, will often benefit greatly from the onsite medical care that nursing homes are able to offer.

While some nursing home residents will remain in this location for the remainder of their life, many of these residents will move on to an assisted living facility or the care of a loved one once their medical condition improves.

The Bottom Line

Both an assisted living facility and a nursing home can provide valuable services that will allow you to ensure your parents get the level of care they truly deserve. For more information on which of these facilities is right for your parent's specific needs, you may wish to discuss this decision with both your parents and their primary physician.

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