Assisted Living Vs. In-Home Care: Factors to Consider

Choosing the right care for your aging loved ones in Encino is one of the most important decisions you have to make in your life. There are many factors to consider and to do that properly, you need to learn more about senior care options.

Do your aging loved ones really need to live in an assisted living facility or will a little in-home care be the most appropriate solution? What about your budget, can it accommodate for everything that assisted living offers? All these questions must be answered before you decide whether to take your aging loved ones to a senior care facility or take a more subtle, in-home care approach. If you’re struggling with the decision, here are a few factors to consider along the way.

Price

Before looking into anything, the price of the arrangement has to be considered first. Various assisted living facilities come with different pricing in Encino, and some may not agree with your budget. Whether it’s homes for the elderly or in-home assistance, it is important to assess multiple choices and go with the one that you will be able to handle. Make sure you look into how the price relates to the services that your aging loved ones need. If they can barely handle any task and need specialized care, assisted living will not attend to their needs.

Care required

Assisted living facilities are great for those who need no or very little assistance with the tasks of daily living (and who can afford ALF). While these people could also go with in-home care in Encino, seniors who require more help wouldn’t fit in in ALF. In-home care would be more individualized and helpful, as it’s one-on-one type of care.
Discharge policies

If your mind is set on senior care homes, then you need to factor in the discharge policies. Various discharge policies can affect what senior care home you choose as the abode of your elderly loved one. Some of these include release due to cognitive impairment, abuse of drugs or alcohol, an exhibition of problematic behavior, etc. These factors will affect the home you choose. For example, if you are well aware that your aging relative in Encino has temper problems, then choosing a home where discharge does not occur due to such behavior becomes a priority. But if your aging loved ones are like most other seniors, you can never really predict what comes next. Getting in-home care means having someone available no matter what state of mind and body your aging loved ones are in.

Types of activities

Some assisted living homes will include a lot of extra activities like playing games, cards, and assembling puzzle pieces. While this serves to improve the overall enjoyment and sense of being at home, you cannot really compare it to getting personalized attention. With in-home care, your aging loved ones can do all the activities they want and the activities they are accustomed to without having to fit in with others.

Seniors’ assessment

This is perhaps one of the main reasons why most seniors prefer in-home care. With an assisted living facility, you never really know who your aging loved ones are bunking with. Sure, most facilities in Encino have a filtering process that guarantees only the right type of people is allowed in. However, there tend to be a couple of at risk patients. Going with in-home care guarantees you a safer environment for your aging loved ones where there are no strangers and other patients to deal with.