Important Differences Between Dementia Treatment at Home and Long-Term Care Facility
If an older family member has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, you’ve probably done everything you can to make sure that they live as peacefully and independently as possible, but now they need extra help. Caring for a loved one with dementia is an iterative process of observing changes in their abilities, accepting those changes, and making difficult decisions to adapt to how you help them navigate life. Patients with dementia inevitably reach a point where they cannot safely live on their own and need professional home care or a long-term care facility (also known as a nursing home, nursing home, or memory facility).
Does your family member with dementia need more home care, or is it time to move into a nursing home ? Considering the following factors will help you keep them safe and take steps to help you and the rest of your family carers.
Compare costs
As with most care and health care decisions in the United States, we often have to consider costs rather than the best interests of the person in need of care. Womp womp. Maybe it’s practical.
First, don’t assume you know what the cost of home care services is compared to living in a nursing home. The level of care your family member needs will depend on the progression of their dementia. Will an assistant who comes several times a week fill in the gaps in your schedule? Or do they have other medical conditions that require 24/7 care?
Start by talking to home care agencies and nursing homes about your family’s needs and services. The main factors that determine the cost will be the number of hours of care you need per week and how independent your family member is in day-to-day activities.
By comparison, the average monthly cost of home care (40 hours per week) nationwide is about $4,500; housing assistance is also about $4,500 per month; a room in a private nursing home costs about $9,000 a month.
Understand their stage of cognitive decline
Whether you need to hire a home caregiver or move your mom to a nursing home depends a lot on how much your family member can still do on their own and how their abilities are expected to change. Learn about the stages of dementia and where your loved one is on the spectrum. Resist the (very common) denial that you and other family members may be experiencing dementia so you can get an honest idea of your needs.
Rate your support system
The amount of professional help a person with dementia needs also depends on how much help is provided by family members. Let go of any shame you may feel about not living close enough, or about being overwhelmed and burned out by caring. Consider the needs of not only the aging family member, but the entire family support system. The need for professional help is the real factor in caring for the elderly, not the failure of the family.
Who in your family and community is available and able to help regularly while maintaining their own well-being? What are the interruptions in your family member’s life when they need extra help or can’t be safely left alone?
Home care vs community memory care
Let’s take a look at exactly what services you can expect from home care versus a memory home or nursing home.
Home care services can range from occasional communication to ongoing medical supervision. Homecare workers are not usually nurses, but may instead provide the following services as needed or on a regular daily or weekly schedule:
- friendship
- Transport
- Help with bathing, dressing, using the toilet
- Medication Reminders
- Cooking
- Cleaning and laundry
- Filling in when a family member needs a break
Medical professionals such as nurses and physical therapists can also come to your home as needed.
The benefits of home care include being in a familiar environment, additional support for family members, flexible hours, and personalized attention.
On the other hand, the memory care community can provide housekeeping, cooking, and personal care services, as well as medication management, safety and security features, trained staff, organized events, and social opportunities.
In the later stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, a person may lose the ability to walk or eat, or may be more vulnerable to secondary infections and illnesses.
By knowing your budget, the cost and availability of various services, and your family’s ability to support your loved one with dementia, you can better decide when to transition to more care services as their needs change.