Care Options For Aging Loved Ones

Options for Elderly Adults Who Require Frequent Care

As a person ages, their preferences and needs will naturally change as well. Some elderly adults can stay home with home healthcare assistance, while others need to live with family or in a facility where additional care can be provided. Home healthcare allows adults who don’t need 24/7 support to receive services such as nursing care, physical therapy, and other services that would normally require travel to the provider.

If your loved one requires more care, assisted living facilities or nursing homes may be appropriate.

Types of Care

Depending on the amount of care your loved one requires, different options are available, including home healthcare, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.

Home Healthcare

Home healthcare services include:

• Nursing
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Case management

Some home healthcare companies also provide home aides or home caregivers to help with tasks such as bathing, cooking, or cleaning.

Some home healthcare services may be covered by insurance, while others may be out of pocket. Most home healthcare services require a referral from your loved one’s healthcare team.

Assisted Living Facilities

Assisted living facilities may offer a solution if your loved one doesn’t want to stay in their own home. In an assisted living facility, your loved one can get help with daily care but still have some degree of independence. In an assisted living facility, your loved one usually lives in their own independent space.

Assisted living facilities often provide medication supervision, housekeeping and laundry services, security, and social and recreation services. Many also help with bathing and other day-to-day care.

Some communities offer the opportunity for your loved one to stay in the same place as their care needs increase. People can transition from independent living to skilled nursing care if needed. Insurance doesn’t always cover assisted living, though it may pay for some of the required services.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities (SNF) are an option for people who have significant care needs that cannot be met at home or in an assisted living facility.

In a nursing home, your loved one will receive 24-hour supervision, meals, and assistance as needed with activities of daily living such as bathing, eating, dressing, and toileting. Therapy services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are generally available as well.

Nursing homes are sometimes used as a short-term care option for people who are recovering from illness, surgery, or an accident. Medicare may pay for up to 100 days of rehabilitation services, but it generally doesn’t pay for long-term care.

Nursing homes can be expensive, with the median cost of a nursing home in the U.S. being almost $300 per day. Most people in nursing homes use Medicaid or have long-term care insurance policies that help offset the cost.

Living With a Family Member

Living with a family member is an option for some people as they age and become unable to fully care for themselves at home. Caring for elderly loved ones at home involves time and commitment.

Online classes are available to help people learn to care for aging loved ones. There are many things to consider when deciding whether to care for your aging loved one at home. Some people feel awkward about the role reversal, and that role reversal can be difficult for both the caregiver and the loved one to accept. It can also be uncomfortable to provide intimate personal care, such as help with bathing and toileting.

Conversely, some find it comforting to provide for their loved ones and be involved in their care.

Benefits of Handling Care on Your Own

Caring for aging parents can be challenging, but it also has benefits. A study by the Pew Research Center showed that more caregivers found the job to be rewarding than stressful.

Some of the benefits of caregiving include:

• Improvements in strength and stamina due to the physical demands of caregiving
• The sense of giving back to a loved one who cared for you
• Satisfaction of knowing that your loved one is getting excellent care
• Personal growth

Overall, it’s important to be realistic and honest about the time and resources you can provide while living with a loved one who has increased care needs.

Potential Downfalls of Living With an Aging Adult

Living with an aging loved one can present many challenges. One of the biggest challenges is caregiver burnout or caregiver fatigue. Caring for a loved one is emotionally, mentally, and physically challenging, and over time, it can wear on you. Caregivers frequently put everything on hold to care for their loved ones and don’t prioritize their own needs.

Caregiving can also be isolating, as it can be difficult to maintain social connections with people outside of the home when caring for a family member with high care needs. Caregiving comes with a lot of responsibilities and the strain of these responsibilities can be a lot for anyone to handle.

Options for Elderly Adults Who Are Independent

Elderly adults who can live independently still have options to help them maintain their independence.

One of the biggest challenges for people who are living independently as they age is loneliness or social isolation. Social isolation is a risk factor for many mental health conditions, including dementia. Some programs can help connect you to services for financial assistance, health care support, and social opportunities to help you or your loved one find the services to help them maintain independence.

Active Adult Communities

Many communities have senior living communities for active adults. These communities allow community members to own or rent homes, condos, or apartments with other people their age. These communities frequently include maintenance services and recreational spaces to encourage social engagement.

Independent Living Communities

Independent living communities are generally maintenance-free facilities that house people in apartments in a single building or a group of buildings. Social activities are usually offered as part of the communities. Personal care services aren’t generally provided, but the individual can arrange these services.

Federal Assistance Programs

Federal assistance programs may help keep you or your aging loved one independent at home. Depending on the individual, Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, and other resources are available.

For example, Eldercare locator is a government website that can help direct you to resources that may be available to you.

Signs an Aging Adult Needs More Care

Determining when to intervene and offer an aging loved one more assistance is not always clear. If your loved one has experienced an illness or a dramatic change in their mental health, it may be apparent that they need more help. However, if your loved one is independent in their home, deciding when they need more care can be difficult.

There may be subtle signs that signify your loved one may need more care, including:

• Wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather
• Changes in their hygiene
• An unkempt or cluttered home
• Difficulty preparing meals
• Changes in mood
• Falls
• Loneliness or social isolation
• Difficulty walking
• Changes in weight
• Memory problems
• Unpaid bills
• Difficulty using medications properly

One often overlooked way to see if your loved one needs more care is to talk to them directly. Your loved one may know they need more help but be too embarrassed to ask or may be afraid that asking for help may make them a burden.

How to Know Which Care Option Is Best for Your Aging Parent

Choosing the right living arrangement for your aging loved one depends on several factors. The most important factor is how much care your loved one needs.

Budget is another factor that many people need to consider when deciding which type of care for elderly parents is best.

Other considerations may include which amenities your loved one may want to use. The decision about what is best for your loved one is very personal and should be tailored to your family’s unique needs.

The decision to get additional care for an aging loved one can be challenging and emotionally charged. Fortunately, with thoughtful planning, you can help ensure your loved one transitions with dignity and support.