Do You Know The Differences Between Home Care and Assisted Living?

According to History.com, “More babies were born in 1946 than ever before: 3.4 million, 20 percent more than in 1945.” This was the beginning of the baby boom, which is the nation’s largest living adult generation. As this generation continues to age, the population of older adults will increase tremendously throughout the next decade. Therefore, the need for home care services or assisted living will increase. Are you considering home care or assisted living services for a loved one? We hope to minimize any confusion by explaining the difference between the two.

What Is Home Care?

Home health care consists of services that can be provided in the home of an older adult with special needs. Medicare.gov has found that home care is just as effective as the care older adults will get in a hospital or nursing facility. The main focus of home care is to treat an individual with an illness or injury in an effort to regain independence and become self-sufficient. Home care services include:

• Personal care: bathing, and/or getting dressed.
• Homemaking: cleaning, yard work and laundry.
• Cooking: preparing and serving meals.

In addition to the home health aide performing daily household duties, they also talk to your doctor about your care and keep them updated on your progress. Home health aides are skilled nurses, so you can expect them to provide: wound care, patient education, nutrition therapy and injections. If you or a loved one needs home care, consider the following pros and cons:

Home Care Pros:

• One-on-one care that is catered to the client’s specific needs.
• The freedom to stay in their home or a relative’s home.
• Family members gets to choose the caregiver

Home Care Cons:

• Potential for social isolation, which can contribute to depression or health problems.
• Ongoing family involvement for hiring and managing caregivers.
• Housekeeping and home maintenance needed.

What Is Assisted Living?

Assisted living is designed for senior citizens who need assistance with everyday tasks but do not require care in a nursing home. According to MedlinePlus, about 42% of individuals living in residential care communities have Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia symptoms. The setting of an assisted living facility is more like a personal place of residence as opposed to a nursing home, which is more hospital-like. The main focus of assisted living is to provide clients with more supervision than they would get from living alone while still allowing as much independence as possible. If you or a loved one needs assisted living, consider the following pros and cons:

Assisted Living Pros:

• The focus is more on the relationship rather than care needs.
• Abundance of opportunities for social interaction.
• Opportunities for increased levels of care if needed.

Assisted Living Cons:

• Less one-on-one care.
• Varied quality of care.
• Resident can be removed from the community for a variety of reasons.

Spring Hills Senior Communities offers both assisted living and home care treatment plans depending on your needs and preferences. Our Vice President of Home Care Operations , Andre Gomez, explained that, “At Spring Hills, we lead the way in providing value-based healthcare. Whether your individual situation points you towards a home care treatment plan or assisted living enrollment, our holistic approach is focused on providing you with options to best suit your needs.”

Our innovative home care services focus on combatting the top reasons for decline in older adults to reduce hospitalizations, promote healthier lifestyles and empower clients to become more independent. Our assisted living communities offer an independent and holistic approach where residents are given the freedom to live a quality of life similar to when they were in their home.

To learn more about the different options we offer, please contact us.