What Are the Most Beneficial Types of Care for Seniors?

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elderly woman sitting on couch at home

It’s not easy to be an adult child who has to take care of aging parents. Fortunately, there are many different types of care available for the elderly that can help take away some of your caregiver burdens.

Do you know what elder care options exist?

Are you aware of the different levels of care for the elderly and which one your loved one needs?

Have you looked into an elder care facility or assisted living home?

Depending on your loved one’s physical and mental health, they may require basic elderly care or more advanced senior care. Different types of senior care exist, but some may be better for your elderly parent than others.

So, which options for elderly care should you consider?

In this article, we’re providing expert information about the different options for senior care. As you read, you’ll learn some of the top ways to handle an elderly parent in need of care.

Keep reading to find out more about which types of care for seniors exist.

What Is Eldercare?

At a high level, elder care is any service, help, or assistance explicitly provided to elderly adults as they age. 

There are different levels of care for the elderly, and the type of elder care someone needs depends on their physical, emotional, and mental health.

Different types of senior care may include:

  • Medical assistance
  • Companionship services
  • Memory care
  • Care with activities of daily living
  • Transportation services

Perhaps an aging senior is still healthy and can live independently but often feels lonely and isolated. Having an elder care companion regularly visit could greatly benefit the elderly adult.

Or, maybe a loved one has dementia or a severe medical condition. Being in an environment that promotes mental health or provides easy access to trained medical professionals would be best.

Regardless of your loved one’s needs, there are many different elder care options available to help you provide quality care to your loved one.

In-home elder care solutions in Southeastern Wisconsin

Contact us for a free consultation

3 Types of Care Available for the Elderly

Are you unsure which options for senior care exist and are best for your aging parents? 

Below is a list of the different types of senior care to help you choose the right one for your loved one.

1. Eldercare Facilities

When most adult children consider what to do with mom or dad, they probably think of an elder care facility. The most popular eldercare facilities include:

  • Nursing homes
  • Assisted living facilities
  • Continuing care retirement communities

These options for elderly adults often provide:

  • The ability for independent living, with the option for more hands-on care with age
  • Access to other seniors and social events
  • Convenient medical services
  • Housing and meals
  • Help with daily activities or transportation

They also provide adult children with peace of mind and freedom from caregiver burdens. 

However, there’s one major downfall: elderly adults want to age in the comfort of their homes.

Placing your loved ones in facility-based care means moving them from their current residence to a new facility. You may want to consider the implications of displacing your aging parents from a familiar place:

  • Do they already have established life rhythms?
  • Do they do well with change?
  • Are they currently involved in social activities with other elderly adults?
  • Are they already connected to good medical professionals?

The consequences of moving your parents to an eldercare facility will be further exacerbated if they have a more serious condition, like dementia.

A living facility may provide comprehensive care in a single location, but a significant lifestyle change may not be best for your loved ones as they age. 

2. Adult Daycare

Adult daycare is another option for senior care. These centers provide assistance to and companionship for aging seniors during the daytime hours. 

Adult daycare is beneficial to both you and your loved one. You’ll benefit from adult day care by receiving respite from caregiver burdens. While your loved one is at daycare, you’ll have unhindered time to handle your responsibilities.

Your loved one benefits from daycare by receiving quality care in an encouraging, social environment. They also won’t need to move to a new living facility or experience a lot of change.

There are two main types of daycare options for seniors:

  1. Adult social care: This kind of elder care provides social activities, meals, recreation, and some health-related services.
  2. Adult day healthcare: This type of senior care offers more intentional health, therapeutic, and social services. 

Though adult daycare doesn’t require your parents to move to an entirely new residence, they will need transportation to and from the daycare center. If your parents can’t operate a vehicle, getting them to and from daycare will fall on your shoulders.

Additionally, you’ll resume caregiver duties once they leave the daycare facility.

There is another type of care available to elderly adults that provides relief to family caregivers and quality care to aging adults.

3. In-home Elder Care

In-home care is one of the best elder care options for family caregivers and their aging loved ones. Instead of having to move your parents or take them to a daycare center, in-home caregivers will come directly to your loved one’s home.

In-home care provides your loved one with access to all levels of care for the elderly through different types of senior care, like:

  • Companionship care
  • Transportation services
  • Support services (e.g., meal prep, laundry, light housekeeping)
  • Personal care needs (e.g., bathing, dressing, feeding)
  • Advanced care needs (i.e., dementia care)

Many home care agencies will also offer 24-hour care—hands-on care for your loved one during the daytime and nighttime hours. 24-hour care is especially beneficial for adult children with parents who have dementia.

As your parent progressively ages and their needs increase, so can the amount of care their in-home caregiver provides. And your loved one will never have to leave the comfort of their home.

Additionally, in-home care provides you with respite and relief from caregiving. Whether you have a caregiver come once or twice a week to provide basic elderly care or you hire a 24-hour caregiver, an in-home caregiver helps give you time away from caregiving.

The extensive benefits of in-home care make it an excellent option for anyone with elderly parents in need of care.

Connect With an Elder Care Expert Today 

When it comes to caring for an aging parent, many different types of care are available for the elderly. But with all the options for senior care, it can be challenging to know which is best for your loved one.

An elder care facility is one option for care that involves moving your elderly parent somewhere, like an assisted living or nursing home. Though they’ll have access to care and daily life amenities, they may not want to move to a new residence and leave their old life behind.

Adult daycare centers are another one of the different types of senior care that provide companionship and assistance to aging adults. At adult daycare, your loved one will receive:

  • Meals 
  • Social interaction
  • Some healthcare

You’ll get relief from caregiver burden during the day, but you’ll still have to provide your parents with transportation and nighttime care.

One of the best options for elderly care is in-home care. With in-home care, a caregiver provides care in the comfort of your loved one’s home. Many home care companies also offer comprehensive services that cover all levels of care for the elderly, from basic elderly care to more advanced care.

At Stowell Associates, we’ve been providing high-quality care to aging seniors for nearly 40 years. We ensure that your loved one receives the care they need by offering everything from personal care and transportation to dementia care and support services. In addition, our integrated care approach provides each client with:

  • An expert Care Manager who creates a personalized care plan and oversees the care process
  • Highly-trained caregivers who put the care plan into action

We also offer a virtual Care Coaching program for family caregivers who want to provide hands-on care to their loved ones but aren’t sure how to do it.

Contact us today to talk to one of our Care Advisors and learn how in-home care can help improve your loved one’s quality of life.

In-home elder care solutions in Southeastern Wisconsin

Contact us for a free consultation

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