If you could wave a magic wand and make your parent's life fulfilling and bright, you would ask for good friends, enriching activities, and safe, nurturing surroundings.
Sadly, home health care is not the answer. Aging at home can be isolating, discouraging, and unsafe. The elderly, including those with dementia and physical abilities, have unique needs that don't end when a home health aide walks out the door.
The answer, instead, is Assisted Living, offering the ideal combination of comfort, caring, and safety. Consider these nine advantages of Assisted Living or Memory Care for your parent:
- SAFETY: Wherever your parent goes, help goes along. Community settings offer 24/7 nurses and aides, available at the push of a button. Rooms are designed for safe navigation, with grab bars and space for walkers and wheelchairs. Medical providers keep an eye on your loved one's health and can even do checkups right there, without the need to make the trip to the doctor's office.
- SECURITY: Maybe your mom always loved to cook but no longer understands the dangers of the gas stove. Maybe your dad has a habit of slipping out the door when you're not paying attention. Community settings provide security but still allow freedom of movement indoors and out.
- EXPERTISE: Do you know what to do if your parent has a fall? What if Mom is choking or Dad is having a heart attack? In an emergency, love is no substitute for skilled training.
- SOCIALIZATION: Loneliness can send the unengaged brain into a downward spiral of worsening dementia. In one four-year study, elderly women with larger social networks were much less likely to develop dementia. Assisted Living and Memory Care provide that comforting circle of familiar friends for chats and smiles every day.
- ENGAGING ACTIVITIES: Sure, you can play Scrabble with Mom, but probably not every day. Assisted Living and Memory Care settings are rich with daily activities designed to stimulate the brain and entertain.
- ROUND-THE-CLOCK CARE: Home health care is not there at night, when your mom gets up to use the bathroom, or early in the morning when Dad likes to have his coffee. You probably can't be there, either, because you have work and family responsibilities of your own.
- COST-EFFECTIVE LIVING: Home health care is no bargain when you compare those expenses with all the amenities that come with apartment rental and care level in continuing care. It's like an exclusive resort or your parent's favorite cruise ship, with meals, laundry, housekeeping, activities, and 24/7 care included.
- FINE DINING: Which would you rather have Mom eating? A sodium-soaked can of soup heated in the microwave? Or a chef-prepared meal customized to her dietary needs and prepared from the freshest available ingredients? Today's Assisted Living offers gourmet dining in beautiful settings. Residents eat when they want, and menus are varied, nutritious, and delicious.
- CONTINUUM OF CARE: As your parent's needs become more intensive, you need access to the right care at the right time. Otherwise, you land in crisis, scrambling to find options and, too often, settling for second-best. Continuing care retirement community settings offer personalized care that changes as your parent's unique needs change.
Home is where the heart is, and at Harmony Senior Services, home is here. The continuum of care provides comprehensive living options in Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care, with plans tailored to your parent's quality of life and your peace of mind.