Skilled nursing facilities. Memory care. Assisted living. Personal care. When facing decisions about what kind of care best fits the needs of senior loved ones, the options and choices can feel overwhelming and confusing.
Taking a little time to understand the key differences between the terms “skilled nursing care” and “assisted living,” as well as understanding their associated benefits, allows you to make a more informed decision about the care that best fits the needs of your loved one.
What is assisted living?
As we age it’s natural to need more help with tasks that were once fairly routine. Sometimes this is a result of physical limitations or general mobility issues and sometimes it’s because of memory loss or cognitive issues.
Whatever the reason, assisted living is designed to provide the care and aid needed for activities of daily living your senior loved one can no longer provide for themselves, as they age.
What type of care do skilled nursing facilities provide?
Skilled nursing facilities are designed to provide in-depth care for individuals who don’t have the ability to properly and safely provide care for themselves. These services typically consist of administering some form of medical treatment such as IVs and shots.
Skilled nursing facilities are not usually designed to be a long-term care option. These specified services in the long term can sometimes become more costly than memory care or assisted living.
Is an assisted living community setting the best for your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia?
Often when trying to provide the best care for a loved one, tapping into the many different services out there is often the first instinct. This may not always be the best way to address a loved one’s needs, as it can quickly become overwhelming to manage.
Finding one community that can meet all of your loved one’s needs may be a simpler option. Choosing assisted living means that your loved one can maintain their independence by caring for themselves in the ways they still can.
The Kensington Sierra Madre is able to provide a continuum of care to a loved one as their care needs change.
There are several major benefits to an assisted living campus that can offer a continuum of care:
- Seniors who need different levels of care can stay on the same campus. This allows them to maintain their connections and stay involved while still receiving the specific care they need.
- As loved ones age they don’t have to transfer to a new community to have needs met. Loved ones can maintain familiar surroundings and hold onto connections and friends they’ve made in the community.
- Having dedicated staff who are already familiar with a loved one and their needs means that any necessary transitions in care can happen quickly with little disruption to their routine and network.
- Assisted living can also provide specialized staff for all levels of care needs. Whether those needs are related to life enrichment or on-site therapy for social, emotional, and physical health.
On-site physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Assisted living tends to strike the perfect balance for seniors who can no longer live alone. To enhance the personalized attention that allows a loved one to maintain independence safely, several on-site therapies are available.
Whether a loved one is recovering from a recent hospital stay or simply working to maintain skills, there are several therapies and rehabilitation services available from dedicated, qualified, and licensed experts.
Therapies and Services
The Kensington Sierra Madre is proud to partner with HealthPRO Heritage to provide the best in therapies, wellness, and health maintenance for our residents. Residents who want to live their best lives benefit from our variety of services.
These services can be beneficial for residents who need to improve balance and reduce falls, or if they require rigorous training to recover from a recent fall or significant medical emergency. These can be serious ailments such as a broken hip, knee replacement surgery, arthritis, or memory issues.
With HealthPRO Heritage we’re able to offer residents the following services to focus on proactive, reactive, and sustainable approaches to resident care:
- Therapy Options: Physical, occupational, and speech therapy services are all available to residents. One of the benefits of assisted living is the convenience of staying on campus to receive therapy, as well as cohesive communication between staff and your care provider.
- Wellness Assessments: Comprehensive health and wellness assessments, as well as personal fitness assessments and training, are provided to residents. This allows for multiple caregivers to monitor and assess the health needs of your loved one. Establishing a baseline for your loved one and their health status ensures that they get the level of care they need when they need it.
- Health Maintenance: Small group classes, community education, and fitness programming are additional options available to residents who are active and looking for ways to connect with the community and other residents.
Should residents require medical care, our professionals shine at getting them to recover at a steady pace and provide all the care one might need by working hand-in-hand with skilled nursing facilities if needed.
How a dedicated assisted living community like The Kensington Sierra Madre can help
The Kensington Sierra Madre is unique in the care, services, and options that they are able to provide to residents and their families. While skilled nursing care might be a short-term consideration for your loved one, the long-term ability to receive the highest standard of care and unparalleled resources at an assisted living community may be the best option for your loved one as their care needs change.
Contact The Kensington Sierra Madre to schedule a call and speak with our dedicated staff about how best we can assist your loved one. It’s Our Promise to love and care for your family as we do our own.
Further Reading:
To learn more about our exceptional assisted living and memory care at The Kensington Sierra Madre, click below or give us a call today for any questions. We promise to love and care for your family, as we do our own.