If you have a loved one who needs help with daily tasks like eating and bathing, they may be a good candidate for senior assisted living. Senior assisted living facilities provide 24-hour care to residents while offering the ability to live independently. Your family member can continue their current lifestyle while receiving the help they need with their daily activities. However, there are some things you should know before making any final decisions about moving your loved one into an assisted living community or hiring someone as an in-home caregiver.
Around-The-Clock Assistance
When looking for senior assisted living communities, you may come across one that offers 24-hour care. While this may seem like too much of a good thing, it’s ideal for residents who need around-the-clock assistance with their daily activities.
Why would your loved one need 24-hour care? There are many reasons why your loved one might require constant supervision and assistance with daily tasks they once took care of themselves. For example:
- They have difficulty moving around without help due to age or health issues such as arthritis or diabetes.
- Their cognitive ability has deteriorated to such an extent that they can no longer remember how to perform basic tasks on their own (like cooking).
- They live alone and have no other family members available to check up on them throughout the day—and even night—to ensure their safety and well-being.
Social Connections
It’s also important to consider your loved one’s social connections. Social connections can help aging family members feel more confident and relaxed and have a better quality of life. Aging family members who don’t have a social life are more likely to get depressed or lonely, which can affect their health in the long term.
To help your loved one find new friends, ask yourself:
- What do they like doing?
- Who will they be comfortable spending time with? (Do they want someone quiet or loud?)
- How often would they like to hang out with this person? (Will it be every day or just once a week?)
Supportive Living Environment
A supportive living environment is another aspect that makes assisted living communities a great option for family members in their golden years. A supportive community will offer activities, social events, and outings to help its residents live life to the fullest while remaining independent.
Not all senior-friendly independent living communities offer 24-hour care, so if you’re considering this option, make sure you do your research first. If your loved one has special needs or medical concerns, then 24-hour care may be right for them. But if they prefer a more independent lifestyle, then it is not worth the extra cost of having someone around all day long just in case something does happen.
Enhanced Security And Safety
Enhanced security and safety features are other benefits of 24-hour care. At most assisted living communities, you will find a variety of security measures in place to ensure the safety and well-being of your loved one. For example, many communities offer:
- Closed-circuit television systems allow team members to monitor what’s happening throughout the community. This helps them quickly respond to any needs or emergencies that may arise.
- Security patrols by trained staff members who can keep an eye on residents and visitors while visiting an assisted living community.
- Fire alarms with sprinklers or smoke detectors in each resident’s apartment and emergency call buttons inside all units for immediate help when needed.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand what 24-hour care is and whether it’s suitable for your loved one. There are many benefits to 24-hour care, especially if you want your loved one to age in place. In most cases, the costs of 24-hour care will be covered by Medicare or private insurance, so there isn’t any additional cost to you as a family member. If you have any questions about how we can help your loved one live well and safely in an assisted living community with around-the-clock care, please contact us today!
