If your elderly loved one needs assistance, there are quite a few options available to you. Choosing the right option for your family may depend largely on the preference of the elderly person. Some other conditions to consider include the person’s age, health and financial situation.

In-Home Care:

This option allows the individual to remain in his or her own home with routine visits from a home health care professional. You can choose the appropriate services needed to make this person’s life easier, from occasional cleaning and grocery shopping to 24-hour a day, seven days a week supervision. You control how often the health care provider visits and what tasks he or she should complete.

Adult Day Care:  

With this option, the elderly person lives at home but attends a facility in the community a few days a week. There are activities there, including exercise programs, arts and craft projects, music, current event discussions, and more. It is a good opportunity for seniors to interact with others throughout the day and gives their caregivers some time to run errands and do other things.

Retirement Communities:

Most cities and towns offer a variety of senior communities that meet the needs of both independent senior citizens and those that need some assistance. If this is something that interests you, take time to research the many options that are available. Prices and services at these communities can vary greatly from one facility to the next.

Some options you may consider include:

• Senior communities are designed for individuals and couples age 55 and over who are independent, self-sufficient and relatively healthy.

• Assisted living communities are retirement communities where there is assistance available to the residents, including meals, maid service, health care, and more.

•  Life care or continuing care communities provide a range of living arrangements to the residents, from independent living to full time nursing care.

•  Subsidized housing for the elderly is available to the elderly poor in relatively good health.

Nursing Facilities:

When an elderly individual is no longer capable of independent living, it may be time for them to enter a nursing facility. Most nursing homes offer both skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities.

• Skilled nursing facilities provide 24-hour nursing services for people who have serious health care needs but do not require the intense level of care provided in a hospital.

• Intermediate care facilities provide less extensive health care than skilled nursing facilities. These facilities are for people who cannot live alone but need a minimum of medical assistance and help with personal and/or social care.