It is common for older adults, their families, and concerned caregivers to want to learn more about the different assisted living levels of care in Indian Trail, NC to find one that best suits the unique needs of their loved ones. Like most senior living options, levels of care offered at assisted living communities are highly customizable and personalized. The levels of care vary depending on every assisted living community and how they are defined. The level of care received by every older adult can help shape their senior care plan and influences their overall senior living experience. Continue reading to find out more!
A Needs Assessment
Before an older adult is enrolled to an assisted living community, a needs assessment will be done. This will help the community team members to determine the level of care that is needed by the elderly. A specialized senior care plan will then be developed in accordance to the personal and medical needs of the older adult. The senior care services and senior living amenities that are deemed necessary for a comfortable retirement living experience will be included as part of the senior care plan.
Assistance with Activities of Daily Living
A higher level of care offers older adults with assistance with their activities of daily living. These activities can include day-to-day functions such as showering, eating, grooming, dressing, toileting, walking, and overall mobility (transfer in and out of bed).
Basic Healthcare Needs
An assisted living community also offers basic healthcare services to help residents better manage their overall health. The services can range from medication management to insulin administration and glucose monitoring to blood pressure monitoring. Overall health observation will also be provided to ensure important information about the resident’s health is communicated to medical practitioners for professional medical advice. The senior care plan also includes superior communication to keep family members in loop of their loved one’s health journey.
A Needs Re-Evaluation
As older adults age, their health condition changes. With these changes in mind, an assisted living community will continue to monitor the resident’s health progress to ensure the level of care rendered can indeed fulfill all their needs. A needs re-evaluation may need to be performed in order to determine if the level of care needs to be increased or lowered based on the health status of the resident. For a higher level of care, the physician will be involved who will provide the necessary medical advice regarding the type of care services needed and other health and wellness services such as speech, physical, or occupational therapy.
Level of Care VS. Costs
Different levels of care will influence the cost of assisted living. The higher the care needed, the higher the cost of assisted living will be. Based on the personalized senior care plan of the resident, the assisted living community will determine the associated costs. Some care services facilitated within an assisted living community may also be eligible for waivers or financial assistance. The assisted living community team members may help the resident apply for these programs.