How to Decide Which Option Is Better: In-Home Care Services or Assisted Living

We face a variety of crucial crossroads in life, where our decisions will have a long-reaching effect. Our career. Whether (and whom) to marry. Whether to have children. And as we mature further, another major decision must be made: should we consider a move to an assisted living facility or nursing home to ensure we have the care needed throughout our years of aging? Or are in-home care services an option?

As with any important decision, the pros and cons of each choice should be carefully considered. Home & Hearth Caregivers is here to help seniors and their families better understand both options, in order to make the decision with which they’ll be most comfortable.

If you’re in the early stages of considering a move for your senior loved one, determining the answers to these questions can help:

• Is cost an issue? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has broken down average costs for various senior living arrangements:
  • For a semi-private nursing home room: $205/day ($6,235/month)
  • For a private nursing home room: $229/day ($6,965/month)
  • For an assisted living facility: $3,293/month
  • Remaining at home with an aide: $23 – $25/hour
• Is safety a concern? Seniors with chronic health conditions, difficulty with handling of activities of daily living (personal care, meal preparation, medication management, etc.) or who struggle with cognitive abilities (such as with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia) will need a higher level of assistance.
• Should socialization be improved? Lonely, isolated seniors are at a heightened risk for serious conditions, like depression.
• Are there transportation limitations? When it’s no longer safe for an older person to drive, alternate transportation options need to be explored.
• Is help needed with home maintenance? Keeping up with yard work, home repairs, and even regular housework can become difficult for seniors as they age.

If these questions raise concerns, it may be time to think about moving to an alternate senior living arrangement. However, before making that decision, we’d love to talk with you. In many instances, all of these issues and more can be resolved through professional in-home care services – allowing seniors to stay safe in their homes, where they’re most comfortable.

We begin with a free in-home assessment to determine each senior’s individual needs, and then work together with families to devise an individualized care plan to ensure that those needs are met.

Before making a decision that may be unalterable – such as selling the family home and moving into a nursing home – contact Home & Hearth Caregivers at 800-349-0663 and let us share with you some ideas that can make aging in place at home a possibility for you or your senior loved one with our top quality Chicago area in-home care services.