What are The Levels of Care in Assisted Living?

 

Assisted living communities offer many different levels of care and these communities can be as diverse as the residents who live there. If you’ve ever visited an assisted living community then you’ve probably seen that residents may be grouped based on the level of care they need. This allows associates on-site to be able to provide necessary medical care and other types of assistance more immediately. 

One major benefit of providing different levels of care in an assisted living community is that residents may be able to stay longer in an assisted living community before a move into skilled nursing due to chronic pain or complex medical conditions. Instead, offering levels of care allows residents to live happily in their assisted living apartment for as long as possible, making it much less disruptive for them.

To better understand levels of care, the team at United Methodist Communities outlined the different levels of care available at each of our full service assisted living locations across New Jersey. 

Levels of care in assisted living are typically structured as follows:

Lower level of care. Many older adults are independent, enjoy a range of hobbies and continue to lead full lives. Yet sometimes, they require a little bit of help with daily tasks or managing different medications. Residents who require lower levels of care typically go about their days as usual, while nurses and other associates are on site to help with anything they might need. Communities with lower levels of care don’t feel very clinical, instead they often feel like a vibrant apartment complex with people coming and going. 

Higher level of care. Residents needing more care are still able to live in an apartment, but need help with an increased number of Activities of Daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating, or medication management. Residents also benefit from increased security and 24 hour alert pendants to help prevent falls and other accidents. 

Tapestries® Memory Care. People with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia often live in specialized memory care neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are specially built for maximum safety and comfort for people with memory loss. They are designed to allow residents to feel at home, while receiving the advanced care they need. Tapestries Memory Care neighborhoods at UMC have enhanced security, cognitive therapy programs, and flexible meal and sleep schedules that are dictated by each memory care resident. While our associates on-site receive ongoing specialized training in Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Tapestries Memory Care also offers education and emotional support for family members who have loved ones with dementia. 

Assisted living for all levels of care 

Many assisted living communities offer multiple  levels of care in one single location because their residents can transition to different levels more easily if necessary. Rather than having an older adult to pack all of their belongings and move to an entirely new location – a full service assisted living community has everything they need without disrupting their lives. It’s also much easier on the family because they have the peace of mind that comes from knowing their loved one is properly cared for no matter how their needs may evolve and change. 

At UMC at Pitman, our residents enjoy complete integration with the local town and continue to live independently. They also have access to onsite medical care, assistance with daily tasks, delicious meals, social activities and much more. UMC offers various levels of care, so if necessary, your loved one can transition easily to a higher level of care that best suits their needs. 

For more information about Pitman, our assisted living community in Gloucester County, please contact us today or visit our website at: https://pitman.umcommunities.org/assisted-living-gloucester-county-nj/

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/what-are-the-levels-of-care-in-assisted-living/