Choosing the Right Senior Care: CCRCs, Assisted Living & Skilled Nursing

There are three levels of care to look at when choosing the right senior facility: continuing care retirement communities, assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities. Look at the needs of the senior carefully to evaluate the best situation for his or her needs.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand that a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) is a combination of a skilled nursing facility (24-hour care), assisted living facility (varying degrees of care) and a retirement community (no assistance).

• 2

  Think long-term. Seniors who enter a CCRC at the independent level may later make a transition into the skilled nursing or assisted living units as their needs change.

• 3

  Choose an assisted living facility (ALF) for a senior who is isolated or requires some assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, shopping, cooking and transportation.

• 4

  Give thought to an ALF if a senior is suffering from memory impairment but does not require 24-hour care.

• 5

  Realize that a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or nursing home provides 24-hour skilled nursing attention for the elderly or those with disabilities.

• 6

  Note that it is probably best to move a senior to an SNF if he or she requires 24-hour care due to illness or severe memory impairment.

• 7

  Hire a geriatric manager to help you decide on the best senior facility. They are often nurses, social workers and psychologists by training, with an expertise in geriatrics, and they charge privately for their services.