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There may come a time when older American's will hear from their Physician's;
"It's my opinion, that you cannot live alone any more." Many seniors live alone and no longer can manage day to day activity's of daily living. Standing with back pain makes it difficult to cook meals and clean the house. Forgetfulness causes problems with taking the right medication at the right time of day. Poor vision makes drawing up insulin almost impossible. There are options for assistance, Nursing homes, Home care or Assisted Living.

Assisted Living are all across the nation and are dedicated to assisting seniors with activity's of daily living while preserving and encouraging their independence. Services are tailored to the individual needs. Trained staff provides behind the scene care such as:

Provide a safe environment
AM dressing/PM undressing safely
Stand by assist with walking to and from the dining room
Cueing/prompting to meals or activities
Weekly laundry
Housekeeping
Medication management
Transportation services
Arrangement's for P.T/O.T./ Home Care Services
In house beauty shop
Planned activities
Home cooked meals

When choosing an Assisted Living facility go the community and request a tour.
Note if the staff is friendly and informative. Is the entry clean with plenty of good light.
Look at the apt's available to decide if a studio, 1 bedroom, or 2 bedroom will suit your needs. Does the staff greet residents respectfully. Are employees appropriately dressed.
Have lunch with the residents and gain insight to their experiences in Assisted Living.

Check with the Director if the health care changes of a loved one, can services be added and at what costs. Is there a Nursing Care Plan developed on each resident and evaluated regularly. Many Communities offer different levels of care and charge accordingly.
An example of a 3 level system:
-The 1st level being totally independent, charging for basic services plus an apt.
-The 2nd level may include extra cleaning, laundry, and dressing/undressing daily.
-The 3rd level would likely include; help 3x/day with all activity's of daily living and
medication management.

Most Community's staff and RN, LPN, and or aids during the day to assist with medical needs.
Keeping in mind safety, residents wear a "pendant" at all times that can be pushed for help day or night.
The call is transferred to an in house call-lite system which will identify the apt and person calling and trained care attendants will answer call lights and assist as needed.

In summary, if you know someone who is struggling at home with cooking, cleaning, dressing, maybe Assisted Living would be the perfect fit. If you don't know where to begin ask for referrals from friends, family, Nurses, Social Workers or hospital discharge planners in your community. The following agencies are available by contacting:

1. Local Area on Aging in the Government section of the phone book or online: n4a.org
2. National Elder Care Locator- 1-800-677-1116
3. List of Communities in your State: 703-691-8100

Learn more about this author, Susan Stockburger.
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