There will come a time when a person with Alzheimer’s disease will need more care than can be provided at home. The individual may need to move into residential care, such as assisted living or a nursing home.
Planning for a move into a care facility should begin well before admission is needed. This advanced planning allows families to:
- learn about what care options are available
- determine which will best be able to meet the needs of an individual with dementia
- anticipate the costs of care and find resources to help pay for them
Types of care settings
People with dementia live in different types of care facilities, depending on the level of care they need.
Assisted living (also called board and care, adult living, supported care) bridge the gap between living independently and living in a nursing home. Assisted living typically offers a combination of housing and meals, and supportive and health care services. The federal government does not regulate assisted living, and definitions of assisted living vary from state to state.
Nursing homes (also called skilled nursing facility, long-term care facility, custodial care) provide long-term care to individuals who require ongoing nursing care and supervision. Most nursing homes have services and staff to address issues such as nutrition, care planning, recreation, spirituality and medical care. Nursing homes are usually licensed by the state and regulated by the federal government.
Alzheimer special care units (SCUs) are designed to meet the specific needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. SCUs can take many forms and exist within various types of residential care. Such units most often are cluster settings in which persons with dementia are grouped together on a floor or a unit within a larger residential care facility.
Choosing a care facility
Selecting the right care can be difficult. CareFinder™ , an online guide from the Alzheimer’s Association, will make it a bit easier.
CareFinder can help individuals with Alzheimer’s and their families identify the right care options. Simply enter information about a person’s needs, abilities and preferences, and the guide generates a private, customized printout with recommendations and questions to ask when screening a caregiver or a residential care facility.
The guide will also help families learn how to recognize good care, plan and pay for care and find local support.
Here is some information from the Alzheimer’s Association at http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_choosing_care_providers.asp
