Some assisted living communities today offer a full range of services and care options for residents, including on-site nurses and rehabilitation services.
In assisted living communities of the past, this wasn’t the case. Residents with more advanced care needs eventually would move on to nursing homes or other communities equipped to handle their level of care.
Communities such as The Kensington Redondo Beach offer what’s known as enhanced assisted living, including specialized memory care for those in any stage of memory loss.
Learn how to determine which level of care your loved one needs, and how an enhanced assisted living community can easily match this level of care for true “aging in place.”
What level of care does my loved one need?
Each community will evaluate new residents based on their own levels of care, but they are mostly determined by the activities of daily living (ADLs).
These activities include the ability to dress, feed, and bathe oneself, as well as a person’s level of independent mobility.
If you’re considering moving a loved one to a senior living community, it can be helpful to take a look at their ADLs to determine how much care and support they need.
Based on their level of support, you may find your loved one is best suited for anything from more independent living services to more advanced levels of care.
Transferring caregiving responsibilities and roles to a community
If you are your loved one’s main caregiver, what does it mean to shift this role to a community?
Fortunately, senior living communities are able to help with this transition.
The best communities work closely with the resident and their family to understand the types of care that are currently provided, and pinpoint areas where they can expertly lend their specialized support.
Communities such as The Kensington Redondo Beach want families to be around as much as possible, but for the focus to shift from caregiver back to a family member that can simply enjoy the presence of their loved one.
What care services can assisted living provide?
To help you visualize the types of care an assisted living community can provide to your loved one, we have provided a comparison between assisted living and other types of senior care.
The type of care your loved one needs depends on their unique health situation and preferences.
Take a look at the following types of care to determine whether assisted living is right for your senior loved one.
Assisted living vs. memory care
Assisted living and memory care overlap in several ways, including the following services:
- 24-hour care
- Dining services
- Life enrichment activities
- Rehabilitation and exercise services
- Salon and laundry services
However, the main difference between the two is simply whether your loved one has dementia from Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or any other type of dementia.
Assisted living is able to offer any level of care, from lighter care needs to more advanced levels of care, but memory care is specifically tailored to those with memory loss or cognitive impairment.
This type of care includes specially trained staff and increased safety and security measures to help residents stay safe and comfortable.
Additionally, life enrichment activities and rehabilitation services are tailored to address specific needs and interests, including preserving everyday comforts and boosting quality of life in any way possible.
The Kensington Redondo Beach has both assisted living and two specialized memory care neighborhoods that match specific levels of progression.
Assisted living vs. nursing homes
Traditional assisted living communities offered more independent-type services, and when a senior’s care needs advanced, they often needed to move to a nursing home or other skilled care facility.
A nursing home is a type of long-term care for those who are chronically ill or disabled.
Today, communities such as The Kensington Redondo Beach offer similar services to nursing homes, including 24-hour care, emergency services, personal care services, and medication administration.
While nursing homes are focused solely on care and recovery, assisted living communities such as The Kensington Redondo Beach focus on whole-person wellness.
This involves combining rehabilitation and exercise services with nourishing foods and fun social activities. It’s a balance of expert care with a full activity calendar.
Assisted living vs. senior home care
Home care involves a caregiver — usually a family member or close friend — assisting a senior loved one with bathing, dressing, cooking, taking medications, and running errands.
Home health care takes senior home care a step further, and involves a medical professional coming to the home to check vitals or assist with medical equipment.
A common question from caregivers involves how to know when it’s time for a loved one to enter a community after receiving home care.
The answer to this isn’t the same for everyone. But it’s important for caregivers to remember that despite their best efforts, sometimes a loved one’s care needs exceed what they are able to provide.
Assisted living communities can help families transition smoothly into this type of care.
What care can enhanced assisted living provide that is similar to nursing homes?
Assisted living communities still vary in terms of care options, so it’s important for families to ask prospective communities a lot of questions about the levels of care they are able to provide.
An enhanced assisted living community can provide everything a nursing home can provide.
These types of communities are equipped to handle everything from mild assistance to the most advanced levels of care, including the late stages of memory care.
The Kensington Redondo Beach provides all levels of care
The Kensington Redondo Beach Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own, and we extend this promise into every aspect of our care and services.
We are a peaceful assisted living and memory care community located steps away from the Pacific Ocean, offering a beautiful, tranquil home for seniors who require any level of care.
Because we are equipped to handle all care needs, we are able to offer our residents true “aging in place,” where no matter how their needs change over time, they have a home with us.
We even offer two memory care “neighborhoods,” Connections and Haven, that are designed to offer the exact level of memory care support your loved one needs.
If you’re interested in moving a loved one into our community, reach out to us today to ask questions and learn more about how what we provide can match what your senior loved one needs.