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Aging in Place

Donna Nichols • June 1, 2021

When is Aging in Place the Best Choice for your Loved One?

When is it time for them to move into an assisted living or memory care community?

Both of these decisions can be very tough, but there are certain things to keep in mind when answering these questions.

One of the biggest drawbacks for people to move into a community is money, but they may not be as expensive as you think once you think about what you WON’T be paying for.

When is Aging in Place a Good Choice

Pros/Cons of an Aging in Place

The monthly cost for an independent living, assisted living, or memory care community includes three (3) meals a day, laundry, utilities, cable TV, transportation, if applicable, and someone with you 24/7, so the cost is really not that much after all.

On top of that, consider the fact that you have no house maintenance or insurance, no vehicle maintenance or insurance, yard maintenance, or if an appliance breaks you don’t have to repair/replace it; there are so many cost savings people don’t really think about.

When is the right time to move your loved one(s) into an assisted living community?

You need to assess how much care they need. Will a home health aide be enough? Most home health care companies have a minimum of four hours a day, some have a maximum of twelve, others will provide twenty-four-hour assistance, but it will be in shifts. You will usually not have the same caregiver from a home health company.

In-home care enables the person to continue living in their own home and caregivers come in to assist with activities of daily living. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of home health.

Pros: senior receives one-on-one caregiving tailored to their specific needs, the senior is able to stay in their home as they age, family is able to choose the caregiver, and if the caregiver is a family member or friend, you have the familiarity on your side as well.

Cons: the cost can be huge depending on the number of hours the senior needs to be cared for, the family must remain engaged to ensure caregivers are doing their job, the family must stay involved in hiring and firing caregivers and creating backup plans should the caregiver not show up, there is a potential for depression as there won’t be much social interaction, the house may need modifications for wheelchair access, etc., and someone has to go out and purchase the groceries and whatever other essentials are needed.

Pros/Cons of an Assisted Living Community

Assisted living communities are places where seniors are thriving now. They have their own apartment or a shared room and they offer a wide range of care options. Let’s look at the pros and cons of assisted living.

Pros: the senior has social interaction, less worry about depression or isolation, three meals are prepared and provided by the staff, more affordable way to receive 24/7 care, doctors come to the communities, transportation is available should the senior be able to go out, the family can spend more time with their loved one rather than worrying about caring for them, the level of care can be increased as needed.

Cons: the senior may not enjoy being in a community with other seniors, one-on-one care may not be as personal as it would be at home, the quality of care can vary, there’s always a possibility of having to hire a private duty caregiver if more care than the community can offer is needed.

Both in-home health and assisted living communities have pros and cons. This is really just a personal choice and only you and your family can make this decision .

When you are ready to make a plan, call us at Assisted Living Made Simple at 386-847-2322

We help you make a plan for you or your loved one and our service is always free to you.

If you need help or encouragement as a Caregiver give us a call at  386-847-2322 or check out our  Caregiver Support Group. Our  Senior Advisors  are here to walk with you through this journey.

Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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