Elder Care Information


Assisted Living Facilities - What Are They?


Assisted Living facilities are generally for person's 60 years of age and older. Typical candidates need assistance with "Activities of Daily Living" (ADLs), but wish to live as independently as possible. Assisted Living communities exist to bridge the gap between seniors that can live independently and skilled nursing homes.

Assisted living facilities provide helpful services such as:

1. Eating,

2. Bathing,

3. Dressing,

4. Grooming,

5. Laundry,

6. Housekeeping,

7. Assistance with medications.

While Board and Care facilities are usually in a private residential home, Assisted Living facilities are larger structures often arranged as senior living communities. These communities can contain as many as 400 residents or as few as 25 seniors. Residents of assisted living communities usually meet in a dining room together with other residents for meals.

A person designated as the 'Activities Director' oversees a key area in the assisted living community - Social activities. The Activities Director typically arranges daily options for residents including outings, crafts, dances, music, educational classes, seminars, and other opportunities. All activities are designed to encourage physical and mental stimulation.

Assisted Living facilities create a care plan for each individual resident upon admission. The care plan details the agreed upon personalized services required by the resident and guaranteed to be provided by the facility. The plan is updated regularly to assure that the resident receives the appropriate care as his or her condition changes.

Assisted Living communities are closely involved in the health needs of their residents. They often have a person designated to oversee this called a 'Health Care Director'. They coordinate the monitoring of health related issues involving medication, diet, personal hygiene, socialization and mental acuity to assist the senior and their family as they interact with health care professionals. If a decline is noted in a specific area, family and health care professionals are consulted by the Health Care Director to resolve issues. Often, because of their experience, unexpected emergency health issues are avoided, as signs of a decline recognized and acted upon early.

Residents can live at 'Assisted Living' communities for many years, even as their health declines considerably. Many offer hospice care and end of life assistance. If you are considering senior care options, assisted living facilities are definitely an option worth looking into.

Alex Jensen is with http://www.careplacement.com - a free placement service for Southern California. Care Placement's staff can review your care requirements to determine whether skilled nursing care, assisted living facilities or board and care homes are a viable option for seniors.


MORE RESOURCES:

Dealing with eldercare causes relationship stress
Sacramento Bee
By JUDI LIGHT HOPSON, EMMA H. HOPSON AND TED HAGEN Are you worried about issues related to your aging parents? Maybe you're in the "sandwich generation," caring for both your children and your parents at the same time. If so, you need to create support ...

and more »


Guest column: Money's part of elder care
Cincinnati.com
Caring for my own mother, I can easily relate to the travails of Evelyn Volk, the subject of the Enquirer's front-page story (“Juggling care for kids, parents”) Jan. 4. From dawn to midnight, Mrs. Volk takes care of two teenagers as well as her ...



AsiaOne

9 in 10 residents oppose eldercare centre
AsiaOne
By Benson Ang Residents in a block in Woodlands are up in arms over the proposed construction of an eldercare day centre in the neighbourhood. Out of the 60 five-room units in Block 861 at Woodlands Street 83, 53 opposed the move and have sent a ...



Cherokee Elder Care to host legislature breakfast
Cherokee Phoenix
The tribe's Cherokee Elder Care will host the annual Tahlequah Chamber of Commerce legislative breakfast at 7:30 am on March 2. Cherokee Elder Care is committed to improving the physical, emotional and spiritual health of all individuals and ...

and more »


SAGE's Sweethearts of the Year in Time for Valentine's Day
Patch.com
Married couple Carmen and Edwin Hernandez were chosen by the eldercare facility for their volunteer spirit and work with Meals on Wheels. Edwin, a vice president for Banco Popular, has also helped SAGE secure grant funding over the years.

and more »


Eldercare centres do not affect flat prices, say some residents
Channel News Asia
By Evelyn Lam Li Ting | Posted: 03 February 2012 2042 hrs SINGAPORE : While residents in Woodlands are petitioning for a proposed eldercare centre in their neighbourhood to be moved elsewhere, others living near one in Ang Mo Kio feel differently.

and more »


Straits Times

Elder-care centres hurt resale flat prices: Agents
Straits Times
ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG Elderly residents may appreciate having an elder-care centre in the neighbourhood, but property agents say these senior-friendly amenities can turn off some potential buyers. Some property agents and consultants said the value of a ...



AsiaOne

Woodlands residents worry elder-care centres in estate may mean more deaths
AsiaOne
Residents of two Woodlands HDB blocks are worried that building an elder-care centre at their void decks may mean more deaths in the area. Their concern comes on the heels of the Ministry of Health's (MOH) plans to build an elder-care centre at the ...
Unease over elder-care centre in void decksStraits Times

all 2 news articles »


openPR (press release)

Elder Care Marketing Company Founder Offers College Students Advice In ...
openPR (press release)
(openPR) - GLENVIEW, IL -- Marla Levie, the founder of Focus on Aging, a consulting company that focuses on elder care marketing and other marketing to seniors, was recently interviewed by the University of Illinois School of Social Work's magazine, ...

and more »


abc7.com

Neighborhood Council System Misfires on Eldercare Facility Bill
City Watch
VOICES - With little fanfare, the Eldercare Facility Ordinance became effective In December of 2006. The City Council had responded to a concern over the future needs of the aging populace. It was easy to make the case for fast tracking elder care ...
residents try to block elder-care facilityabc7.com

all 2 news articles »

Google News

home | site map
© 2007