There are a variety of different care options out there, so it can sometimes be difficult to know what is right for your parents, spouse, sibling, or yourself when it comes to needing care. Two options you’ve probably considered are independent living and assisted living. So, to help you figure things out, let’s look at some of the differences between these two types of care.

Medical care and support

Typically, an assisted living community will have around the clock medical care for its residents. Nursing staff and other medical professionals will be on-site to provide care and support, including assistance with medication management. If residents have health conditions or mobility issues that make trips and falls likely, they may need this kind of support on call. Independent living will not have full-time staff offering medical care in this way.

The living environment

Independent living is designed to make life a little easier for seniors that can still live independently. It provides on-site amenities for the convenience of residents as well as a place to live where socialization with other seniors is easy, similar to a retirement community. Residents will live in private apartments or homes with facilities to allow them to cook and clean for themselves. There will also be places like restaurants and common areas on-site which they can visit as they wish.

Assisted living residents will live in private apartments, which may or may not be fitted with kitchens, depending on the level of care required. In addition to the on-site facilities mentioned above, assisted living will have many more services and amenities available to help residents about their day-to-day life. This means that assisted living residents will have more contact with the community’s staff on a daily basis.

The cost of independent and assisted living

As you can tell from the differences above, assisted living offers more services and more intensive levels of care. Due to this, it also tends to cost more than independent living. However, assisted living is also more likely than independent living to be covered by care insurance or employee health benefits.

Ongoing care

Assisted living adapts to residents’ needs as they age. They provide a variety of care services from memory care to rehabilitative care, which your loved one might not need initially, but might do further down the line. This is good for Alzheimer’s patients, for example, whose condition is likely to worsen, advancing their care needs. Seniors can live in independent living communities as long as they can still function independently and safely. If their care needs become greater, then they would need to relocate to assisted living.

If your loved one needs care in the Piedmont Triad area, then you can rely on Brookstone of Clemmons and our acclaimed assisted living. Get in touch to find out more about our services.