Is home health care or a retirement community/assisted living facility a better choice for disabled seniors?

The better choice is which place they prefer to live at depending on how much they can afford. Some seniors would love to stay at home and in some instances have a hard time adjusting in a retirement community.

If they wish to stay at home, then a suitable live-in/live-out caregiving set-up is what’s needed. Assuming they get the right caregiver/s, chances are they would have better days at home.

Usually, it’s “whatever works”….but finding that out might require trial periods.

Depends on several factors. Their personality and peace of mind. Have they mentioned what they might prefer? Some people like a social setting or enjoy the fact things are taken care of for them or are very emotionally attached to their setting. Assuming you can find caring reputable help and can afford it staying home might be better.

Also check out whether the assisted living home is an eden facility if it has good reviews. What a large amount of people from family members to residents as well as employees think about the place. Check what kind of official record it has.Visit the home at different hours. Announced or unannounced… Spend a few hours volunteering. That will give you a better picture of what is actually going on. Assisted living can be great. It can also be a place where theft and negligence or people take advantage of the elderly. Also a home can provide plenty of activities or be a place of stagnation and depression.

There are disadvantages and advantages to each.

If they stay home, the house is still going to need that routine maintenance. If they’re home, they’re going to be staring at the four walls, probably watching TV. I used to assess home health care situations thru my work and many of the aides sit and look at their phones all day. There’s a woman where I live now who has an aide, and the aide walks with the patient in her wheelchair (motorized) and the aide is talking on the phone the whole time. When I see that, I feel like the elderly woman probably doesn’t want to complain so the aide just continues to do it.

There’s better supervision of what goes on in a facility then there is in a home when it’s just the aide and the patient.

If they’re in a facility, there are activities for them to do. If they don’t want to participate, they don’t have to, of course, but they will be encouraged to do so and will probably enjoy it.

If they’re home, they’re still going to need to have their medical appointments managed and be transported to them. In a facility, doctors are usually available (either at the facility or on call) and can make changes to prescriptions and assess for health concerns immediately.

I think it depends what type of help they need and what the assisted living facilities are like near you. Some are much better than others.

One good thing about an assisted living place is there might be some social things they can partake in if they would not have that at home.

Also, does at home mean at home, alone, in their own home? Or, at home with family members, and extra help?

Have you discussed with them what they would prefer? Are they sound enough of mind to participate in the decision?

Totally disabled would require a nursing home. Assisted living is where someone checks on the elderly person in so many times a week, and is not 24/7 care! If they are somewhat mobile, an assisted care center. If they have the faculties to come and go, drive and such, a retirement center. Call around for prices. Talk to the person’s doctor about what the need is. Then decide. But be prepared! Any care outside of the home can cost big buck$ unless care is mandated by a doctor and can be covered by MEDICARE. Try to do the in-home care first, if you possibly can!

If you end up going with a retirement facility or nursing home, make sure to actually look at them. I know several allow tours for families and it would be good to take a look and see if the facility is someplace where your great aunts will be treated as fellow human beings and with the appropriate level of respect. Main thing is, see how quickly residents get the assistance they need and that they’re not just ignored.

I used to work as a CNA and I could tell you some horror stories of how shitty some facilities treat their residents.