When To Consider Assisted Living?
Written by Wendy Corr on August 18, 2017
In the third part of our ongoing series on aging issues, today we focus on assisted living. Specifically, when is it time to move out of your home, and let others assist in your care?
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, about 34.2 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult age 50 or older in the last 12 months. However, Patty Braley, manager of Beehive Homes in Cody, says sometimes the cost of caregiving becomes too high, not just financially, but also physically and emotionally.
A relatively new concept 25 years ago, today assisted living is the fastest growing long-term care option for seniors. And Braley says safety is the number one reason why families decide to look at assisted living as a solution for their elderly loved ones.
Braley pointed out that assisted living is often a preferable alternative to moving into a nursing facility, because of the home-like atmosphere at a location like Beehive Homes. Additionally, Beehive offers a “day-stay” option for seniors who live with family, but need some assistance when their caregivers are unavailable.
According to the website “A Place for Mom,” 735,000 people in the US reside in assisted living situations.
