The decision of choosing care for an aging loved-one has always been hard. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made an already difficult decision even more challenging. How do you decide between keeping your loved one home with Home Care or moving them to Assisted Living when you are constantly hearing about the dangers of COVID-19 to elderly adults? We believe this question boils down to your loved one’s quality of life and care and how assisted living or home health improves them.
Home Care
The value of home health is obvious. Your loved one can remain in their home and receive the care that they need. This can be an excellent option for someone who is more independent and does not need round-the-clock care or supervision. However, for more independent seniors, COVID-19 can present a challenge. For the elderly, socializing with others during the COVID pandemic can be dangerous. The social life your loved one may have had prior to the pandemic could possibly be reduced to just home care visits that happen only two to three times per week. The cost of this isolation could result in depression and a decline in your loved one’s quality of life.
The lack of day-to-day interaction from a home caregiver or from a family member could also allow the declining condition of a senior to go unnoticed. This is especially true for seniors that may be showing early signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It is common for someone suffering from these diseases to do their best to hide from those around them. If your loved one is only receiving care two to three times a week, it can be much easier for them to mask the symptoms for a longer period of time.
and receive the care that they need.
Assisted Living
In contrast to home care, placing your loved one in an assisted living community would not only provide them with 24/7 care, but it also provides a built-in network of friends. Each assisted living community is staffed with personnel that are trained according to mandated state regulations. In some facilities, every resident is given some form of a call system that will alert the staff members if assistance is needed. There are also regular room checks for necessities like housekeeping, care needs, meal drop off, and even just a welfare check. Overall, there are many more opportunities for someone to lay eyes on your loved one every single day.
Assisted living communities are getting creative to ensure that their residents are engaged and able to interact with one another. Depending on the current situation, residents can be found doing hallway games or socially distanced laughter yoga. Additionally, they could learn how use to technology to stay in contact with their loved ones. Many assisted living places have team members that are dedicated to creating events and activities for their residents. Moreover, some communities constantly train their staff on the latest CDC guidelines and recommendations about how to keep the residents safe while socializing during the pandemic.
Whether or not we are facing a pandemic, it is always going to be difficult to move your loved one out of their home. However, the move to an assisted living community can drastically change someone’s quality of life for the better. It is much easier to improve someone’s condition when you have a team of people dedicated to the care and well-being of your loved one. It is also easier to create a social environment for a senior when you eliminate barriers such as distance and scheduling. So, when you are deciding on the next step in your aging loved one’s journey, consider the value that assisted living can bring to their overall quality of life. We know the choice is never easy, but we know you won’t regret it.
