About Elderly Assisted Care
Assisted care for the elderly is mainly geared toward people in assisted living facilities, nursing homes or continuing care retirement communities. Such care is also available for those people living independently, but who need assistance with limited or long-term care for certain tasks. Assistance for seniors might be anything from supervision of prescribed medication to personal care services by trained professionals, who usually work with health care or service providers on the elderly person's behalf.
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History
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For many years, care for the elderly was usually aimed at those people who needed 24-hour assistance. But the concept has evolved over the past 20 years, as alternative measures began offering a wide variety of settings and services. These include at-home and out-of-the-home programs. Organizations have been formed to help lead seniors through the proper channels for their health concerns. One such group, the Consumer Consortium of Assisted Living (CCAL), was established in 1995 as a national education and advocacy association for support of quality care. It provides information on resources for the elderly in need.
Types
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The definition of assisted care for the elderly varies from state to state and can include terms such as residential care, assisted care facilities, personal care, board and care, adult foster care, retirement residences, supported care and enhanced care. Licensing agencies in each state usually define the care terms and what each type of care is needed for the elderly.
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Features
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Assisted living facilities help with such activities of daily living (ADL) as eating, bathing, dressing, housekeeping and providing medications. Nursing homes are designed for the elderly who are not able to care for themselves. Continuing care retirement communities are for those who want to live independently with a wide range of services available. Independent living assistance is for people who want to stay in their home, but need some services.
Benefits
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The goal of elderly assisted care is to provide a certain level of care and service while fostering independence and dignity for individuals. The costs and adverse consequences are greatly lessened by keeping senior citizens away from round-the-clock assistance as much as possible. There are more than a million elderly adults with disabilities who reside in assisted living facilities, in addition to people who live in their own homes but also need assistance. The number is expected to climb dramatically because of the aging population.
Considerations
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Seniors themselves, health-care providers and loved ones can all play roles in deciding which type of care is needed. Expense can be a key factor. A long-term nursing care program may be expensive, but also the most cost-effective in the long run because there may be no increase in monthly payments. An inexpensive plan may include specific amounts of care, but additional care later on may prove to be expensive. Consulting with a financial planner can help in making decisions about assisted care.
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