An assisted living facility serves older adults who may not require 24-hour care but require support with ADLs (Activities of Daily Living). The structures are built to be home-like environments where occupants can bring their bedding and feel more at ease.
Assisted living is ideal for elderly individuals who would like to maintain their independence by residing in private homes while also receiving little help and support. Families would have to make a decision about when to transition from assisted living to nursing home care, which is frequently viewed as follow-up care.
As a result, it is best to plan ahead of time, particularly when their elderly relatives can still communicate their desires and decide for themselves. Because of the additional costs involved with skilled nursing, financial planning is especially important.
Important Factors to Consider When Transitioning from Assisted Living to Nursing Home
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When a senior citizen is incapable of getting out of bed
A senior could become paralyzed or bedbound for a variety of possible explanations. An infectious disease, an internal affliction, difficulty moving about, pneumonia, lack of strength, fractured bones, ongoing ailments, and other factors can prevent a person from exiting their bed.
Whenever anyone remains in bed for an extended period of time, their body weakens. You need to do many of the foregoing to care for an individual who is unable to climb out of bed:
- Getting assistance with eating.
- Getting dressed as well as taking a bath
- Exercising to prevent contractures
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A senior who may have difficulty swallowing or whose diet is restricted
A speech evaluation is carried out in this particular instance, and a customized diet is commonly prescribed. Such diet plans are specific, and patients who have difficulties ingesting may require constant supervision. Most nursing homes have special dining areas for persons who have difficulty ingesting.
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Once the care provided by the assisted living facility is insufficient
Furthermore, it is feasible that the assisted living institution is not providing the appropriate level or type of care. A nursing home could indeed guarantee that the senior receives adequate treatment and ensures that everything is in order.
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Whenever a family member suffers from advanced Alzheimer’s disease
Assisted living facilities may struggle to deal with patients in the late phases of extreme neurological problems such as Alzheimer’s.
In a nursing home, several functional issues as well as unhealthy behaviors are simpler to address. Since Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, an individual’s cognitive and physical abilities deteriorate with time. Below are some of the most prevalent symptoms of dementia:
- Self-harming behaviors.
- Aggression toward others.
- Significant disorientation and perplexity.
- Not taking precautions.
- Needs assistance with eating, dressing, personal care, and bathing.
All these are situations that nursing homes can easily handle.
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Once the elderly individual begins to visit the hospital quite often
If a close family member or loved one is frequently taken to the hospital, it may be the exact moment for the individual to move to a nursing home.
Recurring infections, regular surgeries, aggravating long-term health complications, or a loss of the ability to recover are a few of the reasons why elders are frequently admitted to a hospital. Almost all the time, nursing home care is what they need at that point.
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If an elderly person requires 24-hour care
Round-the-clock care entails having a nurse available at all times. This is indeed a principle that assisted living facilities cannot follow since, even if nurses are still on staff, they lack the equipment and abilities to care for residents 24/7. Nurses in assisted living facilities coordinate care, evaluate general health issues and manage prescription drugs.