Elderly care in the US

Types of Elderly Care in the US

Elderly care, or colloquially eldercare (also known in some US states as aged care), is a collective term that means the needs and requirements of senior age citizens. It encompasses such options for helping people of advanced age, as assisted living, adult daycare, long-term care, services of accommodation in nursing homes (often called residential care), hospice care, and home care.

In addition to the elderly, different types of care services are in demand for younger patients (mostly 45+ age group). People in this age group usually need these services because of recent serious injuries and illnesses. The largest number of cases of referral to specialized day and permanent care centers in the case of people from 45 to 65 years old is associated with spinal injuries, suffered strokes, as well as severe hereditary diseases, mainly associated with the limitation of the patient’s mobility and his ability to self-care.

Caring for elderly people (75+) is relevant, in addition to the above points, in cases where the patient suffers from dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease and other diseases that negatively affect cognitive abilities. The prejudice that placing your relative in a nursing home is tantamount to neglect, lack of love and attention is highly pernicious. For many decades, the US health care system has made every effort to ensure that adult care reaches a high level. Today, caring for the elderly in specialized centers for permanent and temporary residence is one of the best in the world, and if an elderly person cannot fully take care of himself, turning to the services of such an institution is a real gesture of sincere concern.

The Main Benefits of Caring for the Elderly in a Specialized Center

Despite the fact that everyone wants their older relatives to remain active and healthy as long as possible, usually sooner or later, even people with the best health can no longer live on their own, alone. Of course, relatives try to help them to the best of their ability, perform household activities and monitor their health, but in practice, without the help of specialists, it is rarely possible to provide old people with a decent quality of life. Young people are busy with their own lives, they have jobs, families, they cannot pay enough attention to the needs of an elderly person who, among other things, suffers from boredom and lack of socialization and communication.

Many people find it difficult to part with their relatives, however, in some cases, residential care is the best solution to the problem. Accommodation in a specialized care center for people over 45 will provide an elderly person with:

1. High quality medical care. The center employs doctors of various specialties, from a general practitioner to an urologist, and qualified nurses. Your loved one will be under the supervision of qualified specialists, and you will not need to worry about forgetting to take a pill or any kind of rehabilitation procedure.
2. Feeling of self-importance, awareness of oneself as an active part of society. Being in our center, an elderly person finds friends for himself, becomes part of the team. This is very important for a harmonious state of mind. Even the highest quality medical care cannot replace soul warmth and drive out loneliness, American Psychological Association specialists emphasize.
3. Comfort and coziness, the adaptability of the premises to the needs of an elderly person. In our center, the environment for many patients is much more comfortable than at home. All furnishings take into account the special needs of our clients: some of the rooms are equipped for bedridden patients, others have special modifications such as grab bars in the shower, ramps to avoid or minimize the use of stairs and other amenities for people with limited mobility. Elderly people are in no way limited to the world of their room: they are helped to go for a walk in a beautiful well-kept park, laid out on the territory of the center. In addition, they can be in any part of the building itself, which includes rooms for leisure, exercise therapy, and even a cinema.

If an aged persons’ health condition still allows them to live in their own home, or they strongly oppose moving to our center, look at other elderly care services provided on behalf of our institution, such as day stays. This is a great way to provide skilled care and quality leisure time for many retired people with health problems and lack of communication.

Elderly Care: Prices in the US

Average costs for adult day care in most states in the US, the daily adult care rate is $72 per day. Depending on the range of services chosen, the cost of one day spent in our center will range from $35 to $136 per day. In addition to providing all the necessary medical procedures, the daytime stay at the center provides the elderly with nutritious food and snacks, assistance in daily life (with hygiene, dressing, etc.), as well as social and recreational activities in a comfortable environment during the day. For a small cost, we provide transport to the care center and back. Accommodation rates are slightly higher (5-10%) for daily care for aged people with severe medical problems who need more serious medical care.

For clients with severe mobility limitations or cognitive problems, the most relevant accommodation option is permanent residence in our center. Qualified medical personnel with all the necessary licenses in the field of health care provide the elderly with 24-hour care. All services are provided seven days a week and include meeting all household, medical and social needs of our clients. Prices for accommodation in our center on an ongoing basis depend on whether a person is accommodated in an individual or in a common room. In 2021, the cost for living in a common room is $260, in a separate room – $520. If an elderly person is in need of advanced medical care, the rate increases slightly. In order to find out the cost more precisely specifically for the case with your loved one, contact us with any method convenient for you: by phone, e-mail or chat.

Discounts

Our center for caring for people aged 45+ operates on a flexible payment system. Part of the payments can be made in installments. In order to get a discount on day programs or permanent stay of a relative, pay attention to the specifics of your health insurance. For example, Medicare doesn’t cover the cost of adult day care, but seniors can receive financial assistance and respite care services through Medicaid.