Housing Options for Older Adults
Posted on August 31, 2018 in Senior Lifestyle Options
While talking with older adults and their adult children in and around the Cincinnati area, we often hear questions about the lifestyle options for older adults. For older adults who are just beginning their search, the variety of choices can be overwhelming. Here is an overview of each of the options and how they might meet your needs.
Housing Options for Older Adults
There are a lot of living options for older adults and you can find an option that meets your exact individual needs. You may be looking for an independent living community that provides a lifestyle that will help you live more successfully by fostering the continued growth of your physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual self.
Or, you may need some help from day-to-day. There are options for assisted living, rehab-to-home, memory care, and long term care available. Everyone wants a community that provides the best quality care with an atmosphere that is welcoming and inviting for you and your family.
Primary Types of Older Adult Housing
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities: Also known as a CCRC, these campuses offer older adult housing options that range from independent living to assisted living, rehab-to-home, memory and long term care. Providing residents with the full spectrum of care allows you and your family to have peace of mind from knowing that as your needs change, the care required to meet those changes is available.
- Independent Living: Independent Living is designed for the active older adult. It focuses more on a dynamic lifestyle with worry-free living. Residents of an independent living community typically have a wide range of successful living activities and programs to enjoy. Most independent living communities offer health and wellness programs, too. If you want, you can get additional services such as meals, laundry and housekeeping on an a la carte basis.
- Assisted Living: Assisted Living offers you the independence you desire with the support services you need. Most older adults who choose assisted living require assistance with one or two activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing or help with managing medications. You can socialize while enjoying restaurant-style dining experiences. Housekeeping and laundry services are typically included.
- Skilled Nursing & Rehab-to-Home: These short term care options focus on providing older adults with therapy and nursing services. You typically come to a rehab center following a hospital stay for an injury, illness or surgery. The goal is to help you rehab and safely return to whatever setting you call home.
- Memory Care: Specialty Alzheimer’s (or dementia care) is often called Memory Care and many assisted living and long term care centers offer this type of care. Staff members are trained to understand how to support the needs of someone living with memory loss. Successful living programs are designed to work around any physical and cognitive impairment and to find ways to support the resident’s success.
- Long Term Care: A long term care center provides services to older adults or those living with disabilities who require 24-hour nursing care. The residents receive meals, activities, housekeeping, laundry and assistance with the activities of daily living.
- In-Home Care: Non-medical home care services allow older adults to maintain their independence at home longer. Home care staff can come into your home or independent living community to provide assistance with meals, housekeeping, and laundry. They can also offer you support with personal care needs such as grooming, bathing and dressing.
- Home Health Care: This level of skilled care is delivered in the privacy of your own home or independent living community. It is often utilized when you are transitioning back home after a stay in the hospital. Skilled nursing care as well as physical, speech and occupational therapy are routine services provided by home health care staff.
We hope this overview helps make it a little easier to understand your options.. At Ohio Living Breckenridge Village we are dedicated to provide the very best in living and wellness for older adults.