updated 10/26/2022

When you have a loved one who is in need of a home for the elderly, there are many types of facilities that you can choose from. You may want to get a list of assisted living facilities so that you have a starting point. A list of nursing homes can be gotten from the business listings for these facilities that are located in search engine results. You can also go through a referral service.

Your loved one may need a memory care center, or there may be a need for less nursing care. Many people want to find a facility that provides 24-hour nursing care and support so that their loved one always has assistance. This is often needed when the elderly person has a lot of physical or mental issues or both. These facilities ensure that your loved one is always getting the care they need.

An assisted living facility usually has rooms that are either for individuals or shared by two residents. If you go for an assisted living apartment, these are available for seniors who don’t need as much care and want to have a lot of independence. Make the choice carefully so that the person gets what they need.

Is your family starting to make plans for your aging parents? While it would be nice to think that your parents could stay in their own home forever, the reality is that most seniors end up living in some kind of care facility at some point. Fortunately, many options are available for families. Residential assisted living opportunities are available with a variety of care levels.
For residents who need the least amount of care, some assisted living locations are aimed at helping residents when needed, while at the same allowing residents to remain as self sufficient as possible. For instance, some assisted living facilities offer apartment sized kitchens in each apartment, while at the same time serving restaurant style meals in a communal dining area. For many, this independent setting is the perfect transition into an assisted living community. With the option of cooking for themselves if they want, residents can have private meal times as if they were at their former home, but opt for a community meal whenever they are in need of a little company.
Many residential assisted living locations also have onsite movie theaters, weekly shuttles to the grocery store, and card, game and dance nights. Far from living a lonely life at home, residential assisted living environments allow aging adults a comfortable and appealing way to transition out of their own homes. The residents, and the family of the residents, can feel comfortable and confident that a community setting and its staff will provide activities and needed socialization.
Assisted living is a care philosophy that promotes both independence and dignity. Continuing care retirement communities is the next step for many of these residential assisted living locations. Knowing that the next step in care is available when needed helps families and their older relatives comfortably transition into the setting that is most needed. When, for instance, a resident needs assistance with bathing and other daily tasks, these senior housing options often have other locations on site where this care can be easily provided. With the goal of remaining as independent as possible, adult assisted living communities, the residents themselves, and the residents’ families can make decisions that provide more care when necessary.

Senior Care Options Have Evolved in America
Think back one or two generations and you likely can remember older grandparents or aunts and uncles living in the homes of their younger relatives. In fact, before the industrial revolution it was the goal of many families to keep their aging relatives at home, thinking it was only an irresponsible or uncaring family that would put a parent or a grandparent in a government poorhouse.
As the life expectancy of Americans has continued to increase, however, the increased number of living parents and grandparents has significantly increased as well. When once, for example, it may have been only one of four grandparents who lived past the age of 75, a couple with young children may now be blessed with as many as four living grandparents. And for all the joy that these grandparents bring, most families simply cannot care for these aging individuals in their own family homes.

As a result, nursing homes began to provide residential senior housing options. Staffed with nurses and visiting doctors, these nursing homes became an ever increasing option for families. Fast forward to today and many aging adults and their families understand the need for having a plan in place when parents or grandparents can no longer stay in their own homes. In fact, many aging adults make the decision to get rid of their homes that require a good deal of upkeep and move into a facility that is maintenance free for the residents.
With the options of everything from Wi-fi, extra storage space, scheduled social activities, care facilities for pets like dog parks and groomers offered at senior living facilities, these locations become a place where aging Americans decide to get to themselves long before difficult decisions need to be made. Once moving out of a home is behind them, families often find that future care decisions are easier to make.
Is it time for your family looked at options for moving a parent or grandparent out of their home?