Nursing Homes or Private Assisted Living?

With great advancements in science and healthcare, more and more people are living longer than ever. Because of this, we strive to look for ways on how we can live our retirement years in comfort, happiness and fulfillment. In the United States, there has been a significant increase in the number of nursing homes, care facilities and agencies that provide care and daily assistance for seniors. The number of caregivers has also tripled by the hundreds or thousands as the demand for care providers soared. Many families are choosing between nursing homes and private assisted living. Some even use the terms interchangeably but the thing is they are two different concepts altogether.

A nursing home is a place for someone whose condition doesn't require hospital care but is also not recommended to be taken care of at home. Most nursing homes take in clients who require nursing supervision 24/7, especially those who have chronic illnesses or those who are not mentally well. Clients in nursing homes are also those who are trying to recover from a serious health problem like a stroke or a bad fall. They require assistance in daily tasks like walking, eating, being pushed in wheelchairs, taking medicines and undergoing medical tests. Nursing homes are mostly set up like hospitals thereby providing little to no privacy for clients. Most of the time, clients share rooms and this makes way for issues such as the TV being noisy or a client feeling uncomfortable with his or her roommate.

Private assisted living on the other hand is often referred to as home care. This is different from assisted living facilities which are also establishments that provide a place and a community for people or seniors who can't live independently at home. Private assisted living is just another term for home care set up in which a senior or a person who can't take care of his or herself still stays in the comfort of his or her home but with the support or assistance of a personal caregiver or a private care provider. This type of setup is commonly preferred by families because of its benefits for clients or patients.

Home care provides clients a feeling of independence and dignity. It also gives them the opportunity to maximize their freedom because clients can basically do whatever they want, whenever they want. They can watch their favorite TV shows, cook if they want to, go out in the garden, or eat their favorite cake. This then provides them comfort and happiness because they will definitely feel that even if someone is there to help them in bathing, dressing up or whatever, they are still living normal lives. What's also good about home care or private assisted living is that most caregivers from agencies are licensed practical nurses or registered nurses making them efficient in monitoring the client's health. Care services are also tailored or customized depending on the needs of the client. Family members can actually choose from a wide range of services like companion services, household management, personal care services, medical health care and many more. Last but not least, home care keeps families together.