Which Type of Senior Housing Do We Choose? An Indianapolis Senior Living Advisor Can Help

When a parent or older family member shows changes in mobility, can’t care for themselves anymore, or needs care beyond what their spouse can provide, it’s time to consider the transition to senior care. But it can be difficult to know how to start the process or choose the best living arrangement in Indianapolis. That’s where Senior Care Partners comes in.

With their experience in senior care management, skilled nursing, and memory care, our Indianapolis-based senior advisors can help you make sense of the different types of housing available. They will guide you through the entire transition so you won’t feel alone or overwhelmed. To help you make an informed decision during this emotional time, it’s important to understand the purpose and functions of each type of senior living arrangement.

Independent Living

As most of us age, we still want to stay as independent as possible. Perhaps your loved one can still take care of themselves but no longer wants the stress or hassle of maintaining their home. In that case, independent living may be ideal.

Independent living communities offer rental homes or apartments with kitchens, living areas, bedrooms, and bathrooms. These units typically include routine maintenance and repairs, optional meals in communal dining, security, and other amenities. Many communities also offer barber or beauty shops, fitness classes, libraries, movie theaters, and chapels. Residents may also have access to scheduled activities, group outings, and transportation outside the facility.

Independent living residents can live their lives, pursue hobbies and activities, and receive visitors. They can also care for themselves and perform activities of daily living (ADLs, such as bathing, eating, using the bathroom, and dressing) without assistance. Typically, there are no on-site caregivers or medical providers, but most communities have a nurse visit on a regular basis to perform routine screenings or address specific medical concerns. Staff members are available to assist in emergencies, and on-site security helps ensure safety at all times.

Assisted Living

In many ways, assisted living facilities are similar to independent living communities in the amenities, living arrangements, programs, and security they offer. Residents have private homes or apartments, which maximize privacy.

However, assisted living residents receive additional support with ADLs, which can give them and their families peace of mind. If your family member needs some help with daily functioning or more medical supervision but doesn’t need advanced medical care, they may be a good candidate for this type of senior living.

Residents typically need assistance from a staff member with any of the following ADLs:

• Bathing or showering
• Cooking meals
• Dressing
• Getting in and out of bed
• Grooming and personal hygiene
• Using the bathroom
• Taking medication
• Transporting
• Walking independently

Not to be confused with nursing homes, assisted living doesn’t offer advanced medical care but does provide services such as medication management and occupational or physical therapy from licensed medical staff. They can still call on staff if they need help.

Nursing Homes

A nursing home is often the first option families consider when helping a senior transition to long-term care. If a person needs 24-hour medical or clinical care, especially when it’s beyond what a caregiver can provide at home, a nursing home may be the most appropriate solution.

Nursing homes, sometimes called skilled nursing units, are licensed residential facilities that provide round-the-clock medical or personal care delivered by certified on-site staff under nursing supervision. While a nursing home is a permanent elder care solution for many seniors, it can also serve as a temporary arrangement for people recovering from surgery or illness.

Residents can receive rehabilitative therapies, focused care for chronic conditions, or assistance with mobility or cognitive conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Nursing homes also support individuals who need a feeding tube, IV, catheter, colostomy care, pain management, or wound care. In addition to medical care, residents have access to ADL support.

Memory Care

Some assisted living facilities and nursing homes specialize in memory care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. These communities help residents maintain cognitive health, support daily living, and enhance quality of life as their conditions progress.

Memory care experts design the programs, and caregivers trained in dementia and Alzheimer’s care provide residents with the following:

• Coordination of medical care, health monitoring, and periodic assessments
• Help at mealtimes
• Assistance with bathing and dressing
• Help with participation in individual and group activities
• On-site therapy and rehabilitation
• Help with taking medications
• Transportation to doctor’s appointments

As with other nursing home facilities, memory care communities take safety and security seriously. Security staff are on duty to safeguard residents and ensure that no one leaves the facility without authorization.

Hospice Care

Hospice care, which can be provided in a nursing home, hospital, or at home, is offered to a terminally ill patient who likely has six months or less to live if the illness runs its course. Rather than being curative or rehabilitative, it focuses on maximizing quality of life in the final days.

A patient’s hospice care team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and sometimes volunteers specially trained in hospice care. Services typically include pain management, symptom relief, and emotional support for the patient and family.

Continuing Care Retirement Community

Your elder care transition specialist at Senior Care Partners in Indianapolis may introduce you to facilities that offer multiple housing options, such as a community with independent living, assisted living, and memory care units. This arrangement is an example of a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) or life plan community. Each CCRC is different in the different types of senior living it offers as organizational structures vary.

Having multiple housing options on one campus can make the transition from one type of care to another smoother and hassle-free. It can also be less traumatic for residents who thrive on consistency, such as those living with dementia.

Partner with a Senior Care Specialist in Indianapolis

With so many senior living options in Indianapolis, you can find the best senior care for your family member—if you know what to look for. If the research process leaves you with more questions than answers, contact the experts at Senior Care Partners in Indianapolis. We can help you determine the right type of care for your loved one and recommend the most appropriate facilities based on care, service, safety, budgetary, and location needs.

If you have questions about senior care or are beginning your loved one’s transition to long-term care, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We charge no fees for any of our services.