The scope of care varies greatly and may include a live-in caregiver, 24-hour care, part-time care, medical care, or companion care. Elderly in-home care enables seniors to stay in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible. It is often best to use a home care agency to find and hire a caregiver, as they undergo a strict vetting process as employees. It’s also important to differentiate between home care and home health care. Home care is a caregiver who assists with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as transportation, cleaning, and meal prep. A home health care aide can be a nurse, CNA, or other medically trained caregiver hired to assist with medications, wound care, use medical equipment, and treat other medically related needs. They also differ in regards to cost and what insurances and Medicare will cover.

Skilled nursing care is a short term care solution for seniors who need ongoing medical treatment as they recover from a disease, illness, or injury. Skilled nursing homes are long term permanent housing solutions for seniors, and they offer more medical care than assisted living or memory care facilities. Skilled nursing care is administered at nursing homes, hospitals, private residences, and sometimes their own specific facilities. To find a nursing home or skilled nursing facility near you or your aging loved one, speak with a senior care coordinator at a placement agency. With so many decisions to be made and questions to ask, it is beneficial and invaluable to have a care coordinator on your side to help you find the perfect care solution for your situation. A senior care coordinator will help you navigate through how to find, place, and pay for the skilled nursing care your loved one needs. A care coordinator also knows which facilities and companies are a good fit and which ones to avoid. They will take into consideration all the needs from every angle and present a health care solution that works for you and your family.

A residential care home typically houses only a few residents at a time, usually no more than twenty and most often only two to six. Residential care homes are privately or family owned, and employees are sometimes medically trained, but most often they are home care aides or home caregivers. They are called residential care or residential care facilities because they are located in residential neighborhoods and are not in assisted living communities. Depending on your state’s regulations, some residential care homes can operate without a license. It is important to make sure the residential home you are looking into is licensed and certified, as studies have shown that unlicensed board and care homes potentially carry more safety, abuse, and health risks. The easiest and safest way to find a board and care home is to use a senior placement agency. A senior placement agency has tools, resources, and experience that can be invaluable to you and your family as you search for a residential care home that will fit all of your needs. A senior care coordinator is very knowledgeable and usually already has relationships with many of the residential care homes in the local area. A good coordinator will sit down with you and your family to discuss your needs and financial situation and will do their best to calm your fears and anxieties. A senior placement agency is also available 24 hours a day to answer your questions or help with any issues that arise. They will work for you and with you to find the best placement for your aging loved one.

The typical time frame to start hospice or comfort care is when a doctor determines that a person has less than six months to live. A common hospice care scenario is when a senior has been battling an illness or disease that has stopped responding to medical treatment, and the pain or symptoms become too much to bear. The main function of hospice care is to provide as much dignity and comfort for the individual as possible. Hospice care tries to address the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of a person coming to the end of their life. In short, hospice care focuses on the quality of life instead of the quantity near the end of life. Hospice care can be given at any place, including private homes, nursing homes, residential care homes, assisted living and memory care facilities, and even hospitals. Hospice caregivers are specifically trained in the practices of the end of life and comfort care. Hospice care includes doctors, nurses, social workers, family members, and caregivers all working together to bring comfort and care to the individual who is suffering. Since a patient who transitions to hospice care has usually been undergoing medical treatment for some time, the staff at the nursing home, hospital, doctor’s office, or assisted living or memory care facility can put you in touch with a social worker. You can also use a senior care placement agency to help you find hospice care that can meet the needs of your specific situation. Whether your aging loved one wants to stay at home or needs access to the medical treatment found at a hospital or skilled nursing facility, a senior care coordinator can help to make the process as painless as possible. Not all hospice or comfort care is the same, so it’s important to have a conversation with a care coordinator who can best assess your needs and then offer the best solution.

Simply pick the time and you will receive a call every day to ask if you are well. Your family or normal caregiver will be automatically notified that you are okay or when assistance is needed.

Get help addressing your future needs in case you ever become unable to care for yourself. Answer questions like who will manage your assets and how your personal care will be managed. Learn more: The State Bar of California

Whether you have basic legal questions or you need more extended attorney services, there are a wide range of services available to you either through a legal hotline or legal aid program. Learn more: AARP

Medicare benefits are divided into two parts. Part A primarily covers inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility care, and home health care. Once enrolled, you will receive these benefits automatically. Learn more: Medicare.gov

Over 2.5 million older adults are treated in the emergency room every year due to falls, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Find the medical alert device that fits your needs with a comprehensive product comparison. Learn more: ConsumerAdvocate.org

Whether you need advice on healthy eating habits, maintaining brain health, reducing stress, cultivating relationships, getting enough sleep, or taking charge of your health, we’re here to help. Learn more: California Department of Aging

While health care insurance or Medicare helps pay for immediate medical expenses, long-term care insurance helps cover the cost of chronic illnesses, like Alzheimer’s disease or other disabilities.

As a veteran of the United States Uniformed Services, you may be eligible for a broad range of programs and services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Learn more: Veterans Benefits Administration

The California Medical Assistance Program is California’s Medicaid program serving low-income individuals, including seniors with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level. Learn more: Covered California

Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Due to the long latency period of mesothelioma, approximately 20-50 years, about 80% of those who are diagnosed with this terrible disease are seniors.

The goal of an assisted living facility is to maintain as much independence and self sufficiency as is safe and possible for seniors. It is also perhaps the most diverse of all the senior housing options, as it varies greatly from state to state, and the guidelines for what qualifies as an assisted living community are very generous. For example, some senior housing facilities offer 24-hour supervision, simple residential living, memory care wings, or partial assistance with daily living activities. Most assisted living facilities offer a range of senior care choices so that as a person ages they are able to stay in the same community while their level of care changes. To move a senior into an assisted living facility is typically not a short term decision, but instead a long term solution that will work for everyone involved for the years to come.

A memory care community can be as small as a private home with only a few residents, as large as a wing or dedicated area within an assisted living facility or nursing home, or a caregiver who works in the home of the patient. It is important to note that there are several different stages of memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease and that in the early stages many seniors may still be able to function independently and stay in their homes. It is up to both a doctor and the family members to determine when an aging loved one should be moved into memory care. As Alzheimer’s Disease progresses in the senior, it will become clear when they are no longer able to meet their own basic needs or become a danger to themselves, their family, or their caregivers. Memory care can be offered at many different levels within senior housing. Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, retirement communities, group homes, and continuing care communities may all offer memory care areas within their walls. This is helpful in keeping seniors in one community even as their level of care changes.

Maintaining a home can become more of a burden than a blessing for seniors, so an independent living community perfectly combines the balance of having complete privacy and joining in on community meals and social events. Independent living is the first and lowest level of care for elderly adults looking for a care solution. One of the primary benefits of choosing an independent living community is having access to assistance as the need arises. There are communities available to fit every type of lifestyle, from simple mobile homes to upscale mini-cities. Researching and touring independent living communities can be overwhelming and exhausting. Visiting communities alone can also feel like shopping for a used car; everyone is trying to sell to you. Using a senior placement care agency is the best way to find an independent living or retirement community. Finding a placement agency in your area (or the area of the desired independent living community) is crucial, as they are very familiar with not only the best communities available but more importantly the places to stay away from. A senior care coordinator is on your side and is working for you, so they use their time and energy to place your aging loved one in the best possible care. A senior placement agency also offers you 24-hour access to answer any questions or concerns. Their well-trained and experienced employees are there to help you assess the need, form a plan of action, and then to be continued support as you and your aging loved ones need it.

Respite care can be a caregiver coming to give relief at a personal residence, assisted living facility, a board and care home, a nursing home or skilled nursing facility, or taking the senior to a center or specific place for adult day care. The time of care typically ranges from a few hours in a day up to a full week. Caregiving is a rewarding experience but often exhausting, and so it is important that the primary caregiver also have time to rest and take a breath or two. Respite care makes it possible for the primary caregiver to hold another job, relieve stress, and recharge. Since respite care can be a caregiver coming to you or you taking your aging loved one to a daycare center, it is important to first identify which situation would be more beneficial to you. Contacting a senior placement agency is a good way to find trusted and licensed respite caregivers and adult day care centers. A senior care coordinator has experience, resources, and relationships with respite caregivers and adult day care centers. It is extremely important to research which adult day care centers and programs have good reviews and are known to be safe and secure places. This is where having a senior care coordinator can be a very valuable resource to you and your family.