The Key Differences between Nursing Homes and In-Home Care

When your loved one reaches a stage in their life at which they need assistance with certain activities, or they are struggling to get around on a daily basis, it might be time to consider whether it would be in their best interests to live in a nursing home or an assisting living facility. However, sometimes a senior is still capable of performing most daily tasks and they just want to be able to remain in their current residence. In those cases, perhaps your loved one should be receiving in-home care.

It is important that your elderly loved one be given the chance to live their Golden Years with dignity and respect. Moreover, they deserve to feel safe and secure at their residence, whether it’s a nursing home, an assisted living facility or their current home. That’s why you will want to do some research before making a final decision about where your parent or other loved one will be living going forward.

It might help to read descriptions of the type of care your loved one will receive in a nursing home as opposed to the type of assistance they will receive through in-home care.

• In-Home Care: Most in-home care agencies provide different types of services, tailored to the specific needs of the senior. For instance, your elderly loved one may require assistance with meal preparation, or maybe they need a daily reminder about what types of medication to take. If you loved one lives far away from you and doesn’t get out much, perhaps they just need someone to provide companionship on a regular basis. The frequency of visits also varies, so that a caregiver can visit your elderly loved one every day or just a few times a week. This may be important to a senior who is resistant to the idea of living in a nursing home, where other people will be constantly monitoring them to make sure that they remain in good health.
• Nursing Homes: Nursing homes offer more intensive medical care for seniors whose might be in fragile health. This is critical when your elderly loved one has certain medical conditions that might require immediate access to treatment. Although nursing homes typically provide continuous care for residents, as well as permanent living quarters, the cost of nursing home care may actually be lower than the cost of in-home care. That’s because in-home care providers generally charge by the hour.

If a senior does live in a nursing home, they should never have to worry about being properly cared for by the nursing home staff. When your elderly loved one has been victimized as a result of nursing home abuse or nursing home negligence, it is imperative that you talk to a qualified nursing home negligence lawyer immediately. Barry Sugarman is an experienced NJ nursing home abuse attorney who will make sure your loved one gets the care they need, want and deserve. Contact Mr. Sugarman today to schedule a free consultation about your case.