When Assisted Living is No Longer Enough

Assisted living is ideal for older adults who need a little help with activities of daily living but are still independent and relatively healthy. But what happens when your parent in assisted living no longer fits that definition?

That’s where long-term care comes in. Read on to learn more about long-term care options for older adults.

What Is Long-Term Care?

Long-term care, also known as skilled nursing, is for older adults who need more help than assisted living can provide. Long-term care provides help with activities of daily living as well as care from licensed nurses and services such as medication administration.

There are several long-term care options for older adults, including home-based services, group living arrangements, and Life Plan Communities that offer long-term care.

It’s important to note that a long-term care community is not a nursing home. In addition to nursing services and assistance with activities of daily living, long-term care communities truly are just that: communities. Those who live in long-term care can enjoy services and amenities such as delicious daily meals, physical therapy, activities, and entertainment. All services are designed to help them lead healthy and enriching lives.

What’s the Difference Between Long-Term Care and Assisted Living?

While both provide help with activities of daily living and access to community amenities, long-term care represents a higher level of care than assisted living.

For example, someone in assisted living may need a little help bathing and dressing in the morning, then be perfectly able to spend the rest of the day independently. Whereas in a long-term care community, a resident would need help throughout the day in addition to possible nursing services.

Who Is a Good Fit for Long-Term Care?

If your parent moved into assisted living and then a few years down the road starts having advanced health issues, it may be time for long-term care.

This is not a decision you’ll have to make on your own. You can talk with your parent and their family physician or the caregivers at your parent’s assisted living community to get their advice and input.

If you want to get an idea on your own of where your parent is health-wise spend a morning or evening with them if you are able. Watch to see if they’re struggling with simple tasks as they go about their day.

Requiring long-term care down the road is not an unlikely scenario. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years.”

This being the case, if you’re still looking at independent or assisted living options with your parent, you may want to look for places that offer a continuum of care, such as a Life Plan Community. That way, if they do end up needing more care in the future, they won’t have to move to a different community. That can be a very traumatic transition, as it means that they’ll have to get used to a new location, new neighbors, and new staff during an already challenging time.

Dammert Care Center in Belleville, Illinois

At Benedictine Living Community-At The Shrine, a faith-based Life Plan Community in Belleville, Illinois, we offer long-term care in addition to independent living and assisted living.

Dammert Care Center offers personalized care plans that reflect the needs and personalities of each resident. Compassion and kindness guide our staff in keeping with our founders, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

We offer a wide variety of services to meet the needs of everyone who chooses to reside here, including:

• Home-like surroundings
• Dietary planning and consulting
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy on-site
• Spiritual support
• Daily interactive group or one-on-one activities
• Fireside dining room
• Licensed nurses
• On-site visits from specialized healthcare providers

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your loved one, call us at 800-533-6279 to learn more or to schedule a tour.