When planning for retirement, one of the things that one may need to consider is moving to assisted living vs hiring caregiver. There are benefits to both, but ultimately choosing the best option for an individual demands a review of both options as well as their pros and cons. One would have to spend money for either option, so choosing one that has more benefits makes sense since it means that one would have spent their money wisely. In order to determine which of the two is better, there are some aspects of assisted living care that have to be carefully looked at in both settings including:
The Inability of a Loved One to Take Care of Themselves
Usually, one comes to the crossroads of moving to assisted living vs hiring caregiver because a loved one is unable to care for themselves. In this case, both options might seem to be good. When you hire a caregiver, they can provide all the care that the loved one needs in order to stay happy and healthy. However, this demands careful vetting of the caregiver. Otherwise, it is possible to end up with a caregiver who may neglect the loved one in some ways. In addition to that, they can also take advantage of the situation by committing crimes such as fraud since the loved one may not be in a position to notice it or stop it.
Choosing a retirement community with excellent assisted living services guarantees that the loved one will receive the service they need with additional perks such as the presence of medical care as soon as it is needed. It is also possible to access exclusive programs including health and wellness, customized transportation and concierge services. This means that assisted living is a much better idea in this case since it has a lot more to offer to make your loved one’s life a lot more comfortable.
Being Alone Most of the Time
Getting a caregiver means that the family members may not be in a position to assist the loved one since they may have obligations such as work or school. In such cases, the loved one is left with the caregiver during the day on most days of the week. Many caregivers will simply provide services such as cleaning and feeding the loved one as needed, and then probably leave them alone.
In an assisted living community, this is not the case. Even when being provided with assisted living, the loved one can interact with other members of the community, reducing the chances of them developing depression or increased mental deterioration due to social isolation. They are also likely to be much more comfortable.
When a Loved One has an Illness
Most of the time, families choose to retain a caregiver or to get assisted living services due to their loved one having a chronic illness. This could be the cause of their debilitation. In this case, the caregiver may not be fully equipped to take care of them unless they are medically trained, in which case they would cost a lot. Having assisted living services procured for a loved one in this case is ideal. In a senior living community, medical assistance is only a call away. Team members giving assisted living services are also usually trained in basic emergency medical procedures as well as how to care for common issues such as bed sores.