Specialized senior care residences are becoming increasingly popular in India, especially in larger cities. Seniors are embracing this new normal and choosing more and more to live on their own terms.
Assisted Living (AL) is a type of senior care residence that provides varied levels of care and assistance for seniors requiring low to moderate support in a home like environment. The level of care provided is need dependant and as such is customised to suit the needs of each and every resident.
Assisted Living facilities are different from nursing homes. They are meant for seniors who may wish to maintain their privacy and independence, while taking support in some activities. Elders who need full time medical support and supervision are more suited to nursing homes. In Assisted Living, the residents are encouraged to be as independent as possible and are given support only as per their needs.
AL is also different from Senior Housing Projects. In AL facilities, all daily basic needs, such as meals, housekeeping, and laundry are available. While Senior Housing Projects may have special features for support and entertainment of elders, AL usually provides more inclusive support with more facilities provided in house. Senior Housing Projects require you to buy the house and usually charge extra monthly maintenance costs. AL usually has monthly payment options with add on services that you can avail as per your need.
Assisted Living aims to provide increased support for the safety, comfort and health of the elder. Since they are specially designed to provide a higher level of care, they are usually recommended for elders who find it difficult to manage all daily tasks by themselves, or even those who simply want to retire from daily chores and take out more time for hobbies, interests or even educational pursuits.
AL facilities aim to provide healthy and nutritious food suitable for elders, usually in a community dining hall. This also provides opportunities for socialization. Apart from breakfast, lunch and dinner, tea and snacks are also provided in most facilities. Facilities may also have the options of having food in your own room or apartment.
Seniors do not need to manage the cleaning of their rooms as AL facilities usually provide cleaning services. They maintain the rooms or apartments and usually provide electrician and plumber services as well. They may also provide laundry services at a cost.
Most AL facilities provide some level of medical and nursing care at the facility itself while integrating support from nearby medical and healthcare providers. They may provide medication management, doctor’s consultation and health checks within the facility as well.
AL facilities also have integrated emergency call systems in the rooms of each resident and sometimes in other spaces like the bathroom as well. These systems allow the resident or their attendant to raise an alarm in case of a medical emergency. They have protocols in place for the management of such an emergency and may also have some provisions for emergency medical handling in house.
Elders with varied needs may require different levels of care. Most assisted living facilities have the option of additional personal assistance as per the need of the resident. They are trained attendants who usually have experience in eldercare. The attendants may provide assistance with walking, eating, bathing, dressing, going to the bathroom, etc. on a daily basis.
AL facilities usually have age appropriate fitness and exercise sessions on a regular basis. They may have chair yoga sessions, or stretching and physiotherapy sessions and may also have light Pilates or Dance sessions. Some facilities also have elder friendly gyms and walking tracks.
ALs are secured facilities that have round the clock security and monitoring. They do have checks for all visitors and staff members to ensure the safety of all residents. They also keep in mind physical safety by installing anti skid floors, grab bars, etc. in order to minimize fall risk.
ALs try to create a holistic space and keep in mind the emotional and intellectual wellness of their residents. They usually have in house activity classes and sessions and some higher end facilities may even have activity centers and club areas. Most facilities also have in house or consulting psychologists, physiotherapists and even nutritionists.
AL facilities hire staff members that are trained in eldercare. The staff is typically warm, patient and supportive. Nursing and medical staff available at such facilities are also trained in geriatric issues as well as emergency support.
An AL facility may have other services such as transportation, ambulance services, concierge, or even a salon that may add to the convenience of residents.
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