Monday, May 13, 2013

Comparing a Nursing Home to Day Care Centers - Which One Is Better For Your Parent?


Finding proper elderly care may lead to arguments and misunderstanding among families. To avoid having this problem in your own home, it is time to look closely at what a nursing home and day care for seniors have to offer.

What is a nursing home? Is it the same as a retirement home?

This is a facility for the elderly who need supervised medical attention on a daily basis. The similarity between retirement homes and nursing homes is both houses elderly people. This is, however, where the commonalities end. A retirement home can be for the elderly who do not need medical supervision. In fact, some retirement homes can have active members who enjoy physical activities such as golf, tennis and so on.

A nursing home is comparable to a hospital minus perhaps the operating room. Medical equipment and examination rooms are in place so patients can have the best health possible. Such residences have at least one physician and a reliable nursing staff to assist and care for patients. These facilities also have cleaning personnel to make sure everything remains tidy.

Is this the same as a hospice inn?

No, it's not. Hospice inns are institutions for the critically ill with no or very little chances of recovery. Nursing homes, on the other hand, are for those who may have medical conditions but are not on the verge of death. When a patient signs up for this arrangement, the home's staff should give proper care so patients can remain relatively healthy.

What are these facilities like?

It really depends on the facility. In the past, many homes projected a hospital-like appearance. These homes were mostly inside buildings exhibiting white or other neutral colors. Activities inside were sometimes limited and patients had to observe strict rules.

Today, many homes offer a truly home-like ambience. These places now have clean and spacious function rooms where patients can socialize. The design and layout of other common areas, such as the dining room and entertainment halls, are now modern. These rooms further help patients adjust to their new residential life and mingle with others.

What are senior day care centers?

Senior day care centers are facilities that hold the same working hours as most workplaces. The primary goal of these centers is to provide efficient elderly supervision within those hours. Clients for such centers often include people who need someone to take care of their elderly during the day while they are at work.

Much like other centers, these places also have qualified staff to look after the elderly. Clients leave them at the place before going to work, and pick them up after eight hours or so. Some centers offer services for transportation and medical monitoring. This means, they can pick up an elderly, provide care in their facility, and return them home at the end of the day.

Fun activities are provided in these centers to keep the patients busy. Some also provide physical, occupational and speech therapy. They may also arrange parties and outings.

Which one should families choose?

Before deciding whether senior day care centers or nursing homes will be best, assess your parents' condition first. Their health can be the prime indicator which institution to choose. Evaluate your insurance policy as well to know whether you can afford any extra expenses.

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