Elderly Housing

Types of Housing  Assisted Living : Also called residential care, is a type of living arrangement in which personal care services such as meals, housekeeping, transportation, and assistance with activities of daily living are available as needed.  Nursing Homes: Provide a cost-effective way to enable patients with injuries, acute illnesses or postoperative care needs to recover in an environment outside a hospital.  Families : When elderly parent lives with family members or children, the care for them is provided in their children’s home.  Own Homes (Hospice) : Care that is provided in the senior’s own living environment. Home Care providers can offer a wide array of services depending on the patient’s needs, from skilled registered nurses who can deal with most any medical situation to Home Care companions, who can simply offer a helping hand and a watchful eye.  Social Service Agencies: Benefits and facilities such as health care, and subsidized housing provided by a government to improve the life and living conditions of the elderly.  Government Programs : Programs the government provides to help specific groups. Such as elderly, farmers, unemployed etc.

Care Provided Independence  Assisted living facilities look more like apartment buildings with private rooms or suites and locked doors.  Assisted living has gathering areas with couches, fireplaces, gardens, atriums, etc. Central dining areas look more like banquet rooms and often offer entertainment during or after mealtimes. Meaningful activities and chats with neighbors in pleasant surroundings, keep residents active and stimulated. Frequent outings are also planned. And transportation is available to residents who can't drive. Assisted Living  Assisted living communities are designed to provide residents with basic ADLs (activities of daily living) such as bathing, grooming, dressing, restroom needs, transferring and eating.

Medical Problems  Some states allow assisted living to offer medication assistance and/or reminders.  Some states require facilities to have a resident nurse or therapist to help with minor medical problems.  As their health deteriorates they have to move out into a different facility that provides more care.  Most of the elderly are more aware of their surroundings, so abuse, neglect, etc. is not as likely to happen. But it still does. Assisted Living

Cost  Assisted Living cost ranges in price. Around the U.S. The Lowest is around $1,120 a month to the highest which is $5,550 a month.  In some situations Assisted Living can be a higher price then Nursing homes. Just depending on how high class the elderly are willing to pay for. Assisted Living

Care Provided Independence  Most Elderly are in care because of physical needs that require help from the nurses, aides or physical therapists on a nursing home staff.  Many of these nursing home residents are considered long-term care patients. They will never recover or stabilize to the point where they can take care of themselves and go back home.  There is very little if any independence in a Nursing home.  These people will either die in a nursing home or be discharged to a hospital where they will die or return to a nursing home or hospice to die.  For every 100 elderly patients in a nursing home in a given year, 35 will die and another 37 will be admitted to a hospital where they may die, recover or return. The average stay for elderly patients who die in a nursing home is just shy of 2 years. Nursing Homes

Medical Problems  Recent studies on nursing home populations reveal that both the age of residents and their need for medical help is increasing.  Full time professional health providers are on staff. Includes Registered nurses, and on call doctor services.  Common problems included untreated bedsores, inadequate medical care, overuse of prescription medications and abuse of nursing home residents. Malnutrition, dehydration, preventable accidents, and inadequate sanitation and hygiene. Nursing Homes

Cost  Nursing Homes range in price from $3,680 to $10,509 a month.  The cost of a nursing home depends a great deal on where it is located in the U.S. and whether it attaches a surcharge for private paying patients versus Medicaid and Medicare patients. Nursing Homes

Care Provided Independence  More than 7.6 million Americans receive home care, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Activities of daily living include bathing, dressing, and meal preparation but may also extend to assistance with transportation, paying bills, making appointments, and simply being there to provide companionship and emotional support. Home care services are generally available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Most Elderly people who are in good health, can stay in their own homes. In some cases the elderly are still able to live in their own home but need a caregivers help.(Hospice)  Living in their own home helps them keep their independence. Own Homes

Medical Problems  Medicare and most health- insurance policies do not cover home health-care costs. However, long-term care policies generally do. Own Homes  Robberies  Abuse  Bad neighborhood  They may feel that they are lonely and isolated, especially if family members live some way away.

Cost  Hourly Rate: $14-$24  Daily Rate: $  Monthly Rate: $3,360- 5,760  It can be paid for directly by the client or through a variety of public and private funding sources such as Medicare and/or Medicaid. Own Homes

Care Provided Independence  The family cares for the elderly in the families home.  This is the most common care for the Elderly with 78% of them receiving long term care from their families.  Bathing, meals, medications, and a place to call home.  According on one survey, 70 percent of the Sandwich Generation are providing care simultaneously for parents and children.  They may be able to select their daily activities.  They have more flexibility then in an institution. Family Care

Medical Problems  Is taken to the doctor by family.  Family manages their medications.  Home Nursing visits are available.  Abuse  Takes a toll on the physical and mental health on caregiver, causes stress. Family Care

Cost Family Care  The cost of family home care is absorbed by the caregiver.  The elderly’s social security and Medicare benefits my be used to provide for their care.