Assisted Living vs Nursing Home
With advances in the medical world and treatments being available for most of the diseases, the average age of people around the country has increased considerably. But, with increasing age, there is the problem of providing help and assistance to these individuals to carry on with their daily chores. Nursing homes and assisted living centers are two terms that are sometimes used interchangeably by people to refer to places that help aged individuals to cope with their daily activities. However, despite similarities, there are differences between nursing home and assisted living that will be highlighted in this article.
Nursing Home
Nursing homes are medical centers or places for the disabled, sick, and the aged people who are not in a condition to take care of themselves and need 24 hour medical supervision. The distinguishing feature of a nursing home, especially in the case of aged people, is 24 hour medical care. A nursing home has traditionally been providing healthcare facilities to the sick and the aged. Seniors who require health services on a continuous basis prefer to live in nursing homes.
Assisted Living
If you have gotten old and are not able to perform your daily activities without the help and assistance of others, you are a candidate for assisted living centers. These are places for the elderly people who are no longer able to take care of themselves and need assistance of others to perform their daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, walking, taking medication etc. These are the residential options for those seniors who find it difficult to do most of their chores on their own. Take for an example a senior citizen who needs to go to the bathroom frequently but cannot do so on his own. If an aged individual requires more personal care but at the same time does not require 24 hour medical supervision, assisted living centers are the best options for him. There is access to care in these places for the aged, and they feel more secure and comfortable than when they are asked to live alone or independently. In such places, help is often a phone call away though privacy of the individual is respected and he is encouraged to be as independent as he can be.
In general, assisted living provides housekeeping services, transportation to keep appointments, bathing, dressing, laundry, medication services, security, help in eating and walking, exercise and wellness, and so on.
Assisted Living vs Nursing Home
• There is quite an overlapping of features of nursing home and assisted living centers. However, a nursing home is for seniors who require more of healthcare than mere help and assistance in performing their daily activities.
• The major difference between nursing home and assisted living center is in the level of care to the residents and the independence and freedom given to them.
• The cost of living is higher in a nursing home than in an assisted living center
• Independence and privacy are encouraged more in assisted living center while medical care is higher in a nursing home.
• Seniors are helped and assisted in performing their daily activities in assisted living centers.