Residential Care

What is Residential Care?

In the long term care field, terms are sometimes used interchangeable and with less than specific detail. Residential care usually refers to care at the assisted living level. These providers are either licensed as assisted living homes or assisted living facilities.

Finding Residential Care

Finding the right residential care home for you can be a tricky process. Within the designation, there are a number of more specialized options to choose from, such as memory care, TBI, and others. Certain homes are also more suited than others to handle residents whose primary language is something other than English. Senior Planning has provided assistance since 2007 for seniors looking to find residential care homes and other long term care providers to accommodate their needs. We focus on finding a long term solution that will allow residents to maintain their residency in a community that they like without using their savings and resources too quickly. We act as your advocate in regard to care and pricing.

Our Process

A Senior Planning agent will be able to provide you with a list of care options that will work for you. Key factors include your care needs and the budget that you will work with. Senior Planning will also work with you to determine whether or not you will qualify for any supplemental benefits from either the state of federal government to help pay for care. Once we are able to identify you needs, we can begin finding good options for you in your area. A Senior Planning agent will accompany you on tour of communities that you choose, although you may tour alone if you prefer.

Different Types of Communities

While basic care is available from almost all providers, many group homes specialize in the follow care options as well.

Directed Care

Most people searching for residential care are searching for ADL care. Activities of Daily Living include: personal hygiene maintenance, meal preparation, toileting, and other daily functions that some seniors find difficult to complete on their own because of physical or mental disability or disease. Residential care homes also provide affordable care compared to other options. Pricing typically starts around $2000/month, though some premium branded facilities charge more.

Memory Care

Memory care homes specialize in the care of patients with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Certain accommodations need to be made to care for people with these disease particularly when they are in more advanced stages. A common symptom of memory disease is patient wandering, something that memory care homes account for with certain kinds of locking mechanisms and more closely supervised outside time at the community. Caregivers also have experience working with patient who might not necessarily be as forthcoming about reporting discomfort and other medical issues.

TBI

Certain homes also specialize in the care of traumatic brain injury. These patients may have little or no physical impairment, but as a result of TBI require care. TBI patients have unique issues that require specialized care.