Senior Living Referral Services

What is Memory Care?

Memory care is a specialized form of long-term care designed to meet the specific needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other memory impairments. These communities provide a secure environment with structured activities to enhance quality of life for residents.

Services Provided by Memory Care Communities

Memory care communities offer services tailored to the needs of individuals with memory impairments, including:

• Specialized memory care programs
• Secure environments to prevent wandering
• Personalized care plans
• Activities designed to enhance cognitive function
• Support for families and caregivers

What is Residential Care?

Residential care communities, also known as board and care homes, provide a homelike setting for seniors who need assistance with daily activities but do not require the intensive medical care provided in a nursing home.

Services Provided by Residential Care Communities

Residential care communities offer a range of services to support the daily living needs of seniors, including:

• Assistance with daily living activities
• Medication management
• Meal preparation and dietary management
• Housekeeping and laundry services
• Social and recreational activities
• Personalized care plans tailored to individual needs

What Is Independent Living?

Independent living communities are for adults, generally ages 55 and older, who don’t need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) but are looking for a living environment that offers additional support, onsite amenities and socializing opportunities and activities. Amenities may include a community pool, clubhouse and planned social activities. In addition to rent, residents of these communities often pay a monthly fee for maintenance (such as landscaping) and utilities (such as cable and internet access).

Services Provided by Independent Living Communities

There are several factors to consider when looking for an independent living community that suits you or your loved one. For some, access to care, such as onsite nurses and transitional care opportunities, are important while others prefer the amenities of a retirement community.

If care offerings are important to you, be sure to look for readily available and reliable in-home medical assistance and an onsite clinic staffed by both physicians and nurse practitioners that provides a full spectrum of treatment, including (but not limited to) physical therapy, podiatry, optometry, audiology and nutrition counseling services. If you’re hoping to benefit from an active community setting and socialize with others, some independent living facilities offer social group activities, including card games, and organized entertainment.

What are Nursing Homes?

Nursing homes, also called skilled nursing facilities (SNF), provide a wide range of health and personal care services. Their services focus on medical care more than most assisted living facilities. These services typically include nursing care, 24-hour supervision, three meals a day, and assistance with everyday activities. Rehabilitation services, such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy, are also available.

Some people stay at a nursing home for a short time after being in the hospital. After they recover, they go home. However, most nursing home residents live there permanently because they have ongoing physical or mental conditions that require constant care and supervision.

A nursing home is normally the highest level of care for older adults outside of a hospital. Nursing homes provide what is called custodial care, providing help getting in and out of bed, and assistance with feeding, bathing, and dressing. However, nursing homes differ from other senior housing facilities in that they also provide a high level of medical care. A licensed physician supervises each patient’s care, and a nurse or other medical professional is almost always on the premises. Skilled nursing care is available on site, usually 24 hours a day. Other medical professionals, such as occupational or physical therapists, are also available. This allows the delivery of medical procedures and therapies on site that would not be possible in other housing.

Who pays for nursing home care?

While most families use a combination of personal savings, private insurance, and assets to cover senior living, some federal and state programs offer assistance to seniors paying for nursing homes. Resources vary by location, care needs, and financial eligibility.

Services provided by nursing homes

The higher level of care offered in a nursing home makes it an ideal choice by providing medical care in addition to companionship, help with ADLs, and on-site amenities.  Services may include the following:

• Ongoing palliative and preventative long-term care
• Prescription medication administration, including injections
• Specialized rehabilitative services, such as speech, occupational, physical, respiratory, cognitive, and vocational therapy
• Emergency and routine dental services
• Meal options that must meet the daily nutritional requirements and the unique dietary needs of each resident, including pureed and liquid diets
• Increased safety features and security benefits, including grab bars, ADA-accessible spaces, and alarmed doorways