BackWhen Help is Needed: Making Difficult Choices
Article submitted by Gail Silverstein, PhD. She is the owner and administrator of Care Corner Personal Services, a non-medical home care agency. She can be reached at 480-833-8889.
We all want to remain independent for as long as possible. Unfortunately, the aging process and resulting medical conditions can make it difficult to carry out the activities of daily living without some help. The Phoenix area has a wealth of options to choose from. But how does one go about making such a complex decision?
Most people prefer to stay in their own homes when possible. For many people, having to leave their home of many years is a painful and difficult experience. Many seniors rely on caregivers from home care agencies to assist with the activities of daily living and allow them to maintain their independence.
There are a variety of residential options available when more assistance is needed or the individual does not want, or cannot, remain at home. Independent communities provide an option for individuals who function reasonably well on their own but need some supportive services. Assisted living provides a higher level of care with caregivers on- site and a "menu" of services that residents can select. Group homes, or adult care homes, are licensed private homes. With their low staff to resident ratio, the staff in these homes know where the residents are and what they're doing, providing a high level of supervision.
One approach to thinking about the level of appropriate care is what I call the "continuum of supervision." Supervision refers to the degree to which the individual is safe "behind closed doors" if there is no family member or caregiver present. If a senior is mentally alert and not at particular risk for falls, they are on the low end of the continuum of supervision. A little extra help at home for those physically demanding chores such as laundry, changing the bed, or carrying groceries, is probably all they need. At the other end of the continuum is an individual who is often confused, forgetful or disoriented, and at significant fall (or other physical risk) if alone. These individuals need a high level of supervision to be safe, such as around-the-clock home care or a closely supervised facility such as a group home. Others' conditions fall along the spectrum between the extremes. There is no "one size fits all" for making this difficult decision, but the continuum of supervision provides a good starting point to for weighing the options.