Elder Care Spotlight: Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, and Memory Care Centers - What's the Difference?...

There different are options available for elderly people who need daily life assistance, based on the level of care that is needed. The most common types of care are Assisted Living Spaces, Nursing Homes, and Memory Care Centers. Here is a breakdown of what these facilities offer and who best qualifies for them.

Assisted Living facilities are for mostly independent seniors. They may need help with driving to appointments, doing laundry, booking/getting to social events, making meals, managing medications, bathing, and/or getting ready. These are seniors that can still walk, talk, and connect socially with others, but need support in other areas that are easier to manage with less staff. Assisted Living facilities create a balance of independence and support that help the seniors feel safe and cared for, while still enjoying a lot of freedoms.

Nursing Homes, or Skilled Nursing Facilities, offer support all day, every day. There are full-time nurses that can offer hospital-type care and administer medical attention when needed. Also available are therapists for speech, physical strength, and everyday tasks and functions to help seniors remain mobile and active in daily life activities. When seniors have special medical needs, have had recent surgeries or sicknesses, or have become bedridden and unable to function in the home with family, then this is usually the best option. The full-time support is needed and provided in order to make seniors feel the most secure and taken care of.

Memory Care Facilities are specialized for those seniors who have Alzheimer's, dementia, or other cognitive dis-eases that require a level of care that most people aren't capable of providing. Sometimes these care units are part of a larger Assisted Living or Nursing Home as an option for those who need it. It is specialized because cognitive disorders require staff members who have been specially trained to help those suffering from these dis-eases. The premises has to be secured to avoid wandering seniors, the activities need to be structured with regularity and routine that help support the mind and memory-related activities, and there are much more staff members to help each senior due to their extraordinary needs. This is another facility that helps seniors all day and all night, while providing the most safe and secure grounds.

Whether there are cognitive problems to address, 24-hour medical care needed, or more independence while receiving care as a senior, there are options to help support this phase of one's life. When care is needed, these are great places to start the journey into helpful facilities.