Older folks typically require more medical and assistive care as they approach their 70s and 80s. In the United States, several different configurations of elder care facilities are prominent. Here is a very quick (and by no means exhaustive) guide to the different kinds of senior living arrangements in the USA.
At Home
Many older people quite rightly wish to spend their senior years living at home – even if they are experiencing significant health problems. There are many providers operating in the USA that can enable people to continue living at home when they need regular help. Loneliness is seen as a major problem for seniors living in their own homes – especially after loved ones have passed away. Older people in the United States are more likely to live alone than their peers elsewhere in the world. This may be due to complex changes in the social expectations family members have and the move away from living in multi-generational households. Living at home does have some advantages, however. People living at home in times of frailty can find solace in their trusted environments.
Assisted Living
Assisted living facilities allow residents to live with a large degree of independence while also having access to supportive services that include limited medical care. For instance, assisted living La Jolla is typical of the high-quality communities present in the United States. Communities like this aim to replicate ‘village life’ in a safe and pleasurable environment. Restaurants, bars, sporting facilities and all of the amenities necessary for a relaxed existence are contained within the boundaries of assisted living communities.
Assisted living communities are seen as being a concession between the needs of residents to live freely and their need for help with some tasks. These communities are not ‘old folk’s homes’, but rather fully fledged estates.
Nursing Homes
Nursing homes – officially known as skilled nursing facilities – exist to house and care for people that require more serious medical assistance than those living in assisted living facilities. Nursing homes employ trained nurses and care professionals that are able to effectively treat ailments and salve some of the very real pains associated with aging.
Many older people suffer from cognitive ailments such as Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive impairments can seriously impact the ability of a person to look after themselves without help. Nursing homes exist to provide the extra assistance that people with age-related illnesses need. Ideally, this extra help will not overly impose itself on the freedom of residents.
Hospice Care
Hospice care facilities are populated by people who are nearing the end of their lives. Hospices are medically well-provisioned – employing all of the professionals needed to make the best out of a bad situation. Hospices have an extremely important role to play within modern American society. They allow people at the end of their lives to live as comfortably as possible whilst being visited by their loved ones. Society as a whole is relatively unsuited to home-based death in the 21st century.