I was talking to a close friend who was very concerned about her mom. She went on to tell me that her mom was starting to develop some health issues and she felt very badly about her living alone in her home. My friend is newly married and working full time and felt that she could not give her all the care that her parent needed.
We talked about the various types of care that is available. She began researching both assited living and nursing homes care in nj and the surrounding areas. Along with the help of some of her family members, she talked to her mom about the costs and advantages of an assisted living facility where she could continue to live independently but also receive the care she needed.
She was able to locate a nearby assisted living facility close to her home. Her mom has been there for about a year now. My friend has peace of mind that her mom is receiving the care that she needs but is also enjoying meeting people and getting involved in the various activities that the facility provides.
I recently received a call from Tom in Mt. Laurel NJ asking about home care for his parents. His Mother is 84 years old and Dad is 86. They live in a lovely two bedroom condo in a retirement community but recent calls by his parents to 911 have signaled to Tom that his parents can no longer live alone. His Mother has diabetes, needs assistance with medications and due to a recent fall and hospitalization, some help with dressing and bathing. His Dad is more independent, but has macular degeneration and is not able to cope with his wife’s care. Tom was surprised to learn that the cost of home care was comparable to assisted living costs and scheduled tours at two of the nearby Assisted living communities in Wilmington Delaware.
Assited living is ideal for people needing help throughout the day and want to remain active and independent in an environment that provides around the clock caregivers. Residents in assisted living are encouraged to do as much as possible on their own and are surrounded by others who are still fairly independent so residents in assisted living tend to remain healthier, more involved and active than seniors who remain isolated in their home with a caregiver who provides a few hours of homecare per day.
Today I received a call from Carol in East Brunswick, NJ asking about Nursing home care for her 86 year old Mom who lives alone in a two story home in Camden County NJ. Her Mother has Parkinson’s disease, needs assistance with medications and due to a recent fall and hospitalization, some help with dressing and bathing. Carol was pleased to learn that there were several excellent assisted living communities near her in Cherry Hill, NJ that provide not only that type of care, but that assisted living cost is nearly half that of nursing homes care.
Assited living is ideal for people needing help throughout the day, but don’t require the intensive supervision and skilled nursing care that nursing homes provide. Residents in assisted living are encouraged to do as much as possible on their own and are surrounded by others who are still fairly independent so residents in assisted living tend to remain healthier, more involved and active than seniors who enter long term care facilities prematurely.
When assisted living is the best option for the care of a parent, identifying local communities as well as the actual assisted living costs are the first steps. If your parent needs dementia care, include only those assited livings that have specialized programs and activities for residents with dementia. While most facilities will accommodate dementia and Alzheimer’s, places that have a special unit just for those residents are often better equipped to manage that population. Caregivers should have specialized training in order to provide the best care for your parent with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia diagnoses.
Once you have chosen at least four assisted living communities, call ahead and make an appointment for a tour. Allow at least 1 hour for a tour of each assisted living residence. Now narrow your choice to 2 assisted living communities that you feel can provide the best care for your parent. The accurate cost of assisted living is determined by the rent and cost of the level of care your mother or father will require. The true cost also depends on additional charges for laundry, cable and telephone. Additionally, there is an upfront fee called a community fee that can be up to one month’s rent. (Try to negotiate if possible.) The cost will vary at each assisted living community.
After you have narrowed your search, it’s time to bring your parents. Allowing them to make the decision will help in the transition to their new home in assisted living. Taking tours and understanding real assisted living costs are the beginning steps to making a good choice. CareGrade also provides free advisers to further assist you in this process. If you are not local or just need an expert resource, we are here to help.
When assisted living is the best option for the care of a parent, identifying local communities as well as the actual assisted living costs are the first steps. If your parent needs dementia care, include only those assited livings that have specialized programs and activities for residents with dementia. While most facilities will accommodate dementia and Alzheimer’s, places that have a special unit just for those residents are often better equipped to manage that population. Caregivers should have specialized training in order to provide the best care for your parent with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia diagnoses.
Once you have chosen at least four assisted living communities, call ahead and make an appointment for a tour. Allow at least 1 hour for a tour of each assisted living residence. Now narrow your choice to 2 assisted living communities that you feel can provide the best care for your parent. The accurate cost of assisted living is determined by the rent and cost of the level of care your mother or father will require. The true cost also depends on additional charges for laundry, cable and telephone. Additionally, there is an upfront fee called a community fee that can be up to one month’s rent. (Try to negotiate if possible.) The cost will vary at each assisted living community.
After you have narrowed your search, it’s time to bring your parents. Allowing them to make the decision will help in the transition to their new home in assisted living. Taking tours and understanding real assisted living costs are the beginning steps to making a good choice. CareGrade also provides free advisers to further assist you in this process. If you are not local or just need an expert resource, we are here to help.
Today I received a call from Betty in Cherry Hill NJ asking about nursing home care for her 84 year old mother who lives alone in a two story home in South Jersey. Her mother has diabetes, needs assistance with medications and due to a recent fall and hospitalization, some help with dressing and bathing. Betty was surprised to learn that there were several excellent assisted living communities near her in Camden County NJ that provide not only that type of care, but that the cost of Assisted Living is nearly half that of nursing homes care.
Assited living is ideal for people needing help throughout the day, but don’t require the intensive supervision and skilled nursing care that nursing homes provide. Residents in assisted living homes are encouraged to do as much as possible on their own and are surrounded by others who are still fairly independent so residents in assisted living tend to remain healthier, more involved and active than Seniors who enter long term care facilities prematurely.
Children who are looking for care of parents often need help when trying to decide which assited living facility is the best for their loved ones. That is why CareGrade has created a service which offers a free care options adviser to assist the children in their search. Each adviser has at their disposal a list of assisted living facilities, nursing homes, senior care homes, adult day care, home care and other senior care services that they have personally reviewed. The adviser works with the family to detrmine what their needs are and what facilites fit those needs. Once the list has been narrowed down, each client receives reviews so that they can make an informed decision. The advisor helps guide them to make the best choice, but ultimatley it is a decision that the family usually wants to make. Armed with the right information, this decision is made much easier.
