Three important differences between assisted living and home care

For most families, a time will come when parents and grandparents will need considerable assistance to manage their daily lives and health concerns. Often, family members can step in and help – but this can quickly become overwhelming for caregivers. Fortunately, there are several care options for seniors, including assisted living or at home health care. Here are some of the differences between these two options:

1. Cost: At home health care may sound more affordable at first, but do your research. Although the monthly fee may sound extremely high, most people come to view assisted living as a great value. When calculating cost take into account not only the home care expense, but home upkeep expense as well.  Home care cost can escalate quickly as your loved one’s  needs escalate. Assisted living communities, however, are able to scale up their support quickly, easily and affordably – and with minimal disruption to your loved one’s daily life.
2. Living Environment: While being able to stay in familiar surroundings may appeal to your loved one, their home can be a challenging and dangerous environment – as well as expensive to maintain. Stairs, slippery floors, poor lighting and narrow passages are difficult to navigate with a walker or a wheelchair and increase the risk of falling. Assisted living communities, however, are designed especially to suit the needs of the elderly. These single floor living options include apartments with easy to navigate open floor plansand all the latest safety features installed, including emergency smoke alarm and medical alert systems. They are also maintained by the community, keeping them in perfect condition.
3. Social interaction: Unfortunately, it is easy for the elderly to become cut off and isolated from social circles, especially when they are no longer able to drive or use public transportation. Home care can help improve this in a limited way by providing transport to friends and family nearby. Assisted living communities take this further, encouraging residents to socialize in their community. Most communities have a diverse calendar of events throughout the year, as well as social clubs, church gatherings and much more. This allows your loved one more control over his or her life, encouraging healthy mental and physical activity.

Find out more about assisted living in New Jersey 

At United Methodist Homes of New Jersey, we offer a wide range of tailored support services for the elderly in an environment which delivers the highest quality of life. Designed to enhance independence, our residential programs are customized to assist your loved one only when they require it and to scale these services at any point if they require a higher or lower level of care. In addition to catering to independent seniors, we are also able to provide care for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

For more information, please call us today or visit www.umh-nj.org.

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