The Live-in Care Specialists®

Home Care Vs Nursing Home: The Pros and Cons

home care vs nursing home

Are you contemplating entrusting an elderly loved one to a professional care provider? If so, then you must be torn between taking him to a facility or nursing care or letting him stay where he is for home care. It surely is a challenge for most people to find the best carer for their senior loved ones. Someone they can trust that even if they are not around, they can still have the peace of mind that their elderly loved one is appropriately attended to. 

Another big challenge the family may be facing can be, which one to choose between home care or nursing home. This article will help you decide which of the two suits your senior loved one’s care needs. Read the pros and cons you can get from entrusting your parents to either home care or a nursing facility.

Home Care

Home Care Pros

Before you discover the advantages and disadvantages of putting an older adult to home care, be sure you know what type of service this is. For those who haven’t known, home care is a more private choice that lets the older adult in the family stays in his or her own home. More often than not, this is less disruptive for seniors, specifically those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Many families opt for this because of the following advantages:

  • It allows for a more personal or one-on-one relationship between the caregiver and the client.
  • The client (elderly) is more familiar and comfortable, knowing he is aging in his own home.
  • The older adult can stay as independent as he can, instead of having the need to turn over basic task and activities to a nursing home/facility professionals
  • In-home care is cheaper than receiving care out of the home or at the nursing facility.

Home Care Cons

  • There is a need to hire a skilled nurse or medical professional to guarantee efficiency in care if more than just basic assistance is needed.
  • Not all homes are secured–even as secured as the nursing care facilities, which, on the other hand, have staff and security available 24/7.

Nursing Home

Nursing Home Pros

A nursing home is basically a place for individuals who don’t need confinement at a hospital but cannot be cared for, too, inside their very own home. Most nursing homes have skilled nurses and nursing aides in a ‘hospital setup.’ The staff offers medical care, on top of the speech, physical and occupational therapy older adults need.

  • Nursing homes usually have a variety of medical professionals. As such, they can care for an older adult around the clock. They can even perform both medical and non-medical functions. 
  • Nursing facilities are more secure for the elderly with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease who have the tendency to wander.

Nursing Home Cons:

  • Taking your senior loved one to a facility for care may mean taking away his independence and make him feel so old. Nevertheless, if he cannot be trusted or stay safe on his own independence anymore, a nursing home/facility may probably be the right choice.
  • Nursing facilities require a transition period before one can feel like he is home, and this can be a great challenge for the seniors. They can be grumpy, noisy, and feel strange and unfamiliar for awhile.
  • More often than not, the nursing home can be very expensive, especially if you are opting for a high-quality institution.

The decision to choose between home care and nursing care depends on the type of care an elderly individual needs. It can either be quite a very personal decision to make, or a logistical one. However, more and more families today, choose to have their senior loved one receive home care from a skilled caregiver. One agency that boasts of not just skilled, but compassionate caregivers, as well, is Innovative Homecare solutions, Inc.

This company that specializes in senior home care offers a complete range of personal care, which includes: Live In Care, Companion Care, Personal Care, Homemaking & Light Housekeeping, Respite Care, Post-Hospitalization Care, Transportation and Travel Companionship, Alzheimer’s Care, ALS Care, and Veterans Care. If there is a senior loved one in your family who needs care, but you cannot provide it personally because of your busy schedule, let our experienced caregivers assist you. 
Call Innovative Homecare Solutions, Inc. today (+1-630-225-0100) for your senior family member’s free assessment. With us, you will surely get the deserving pay for live in care.

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