In-Home Care Vs. Assisted Living: Which One Should You Choose?

Many adult children worry about their senior parents living alone. They fear that their parents might hurt themselves, starve, or experience trouble completing daily tasks. If you worry about these things, now might be a good time to start thinking about getting the help your parent needs. The two primary options you can choose are in-home care and assisted living. Both offer helpful services for seniors, but they have some significant differences. Here is an explanation of both options to help you decide which is best for your parent.

In-Home Care Services

The first option you have is in-home care. In-home care refers to services that companies provide to seniors in their homes. The company sends home health workers to your parent's house as often needed, and you can determine the frequency. For example, you can have a worker come every day if necessary, or you can have them come two or three days a week.

While they are there, they assist your parent with the things needed. If your parent cannot bathe alone anymore, the worker will help your parent bathe. If your parent needs help with light housework or meal preparation, they can help with this. Home health care workers also provide transportation services when needed. If your parent needs a ride to the doctor or grocery store, they can take them.

Assisted Living Facilities

The second option is assisted living. Assisted living is a more significant step than in-home care. With this option, your parent must move out of their home and into a private apartment or room at an assisted living facility. While there, your parent will have some freedom and independence, yet the facility also provides assistance to the residents. Residents receive a good mixture of independence and assistance.

They can assist with personal hygiene tasks, such as bathing. They also offer meal services to the residents. One perk of assisted living is the community. The residents have each other, and the facility plans activities and outings for them. If your parent is lonely and needs help with daily tasks, this is a great option. Your parent can make friends and have things to do every day while living in an assisted living facility.

As you can see, both options offer services for seniors, but they have major differences. If you would like more information on in-home assisted living or a facility, contact one today.