Caring for an ageing loved one is something most of us have never had to deal with until it become a serious issue. Not only do we not truly grasp what is happening, but we are unaware of what our options are for providing 24/7 quality care for them.

Here are the 4 major advantages of a “home-style” living environment versus a large apartment style assisted living “facility”.

#1: Short Hallways and No Elevators to Navigate

Imagine needing to use a walker or wheelchair to get around. In some assisted living facilities, you would have to travel 90 feet to reach an elevator, navigate inside, then navigate once again out of the elevator, then need to go another 30-40 feet before reaching your destination… all for a breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whew… imagine trying to do that 2-3 times a day!

Now in a residential type senior care home, imagine waking up, walking 15 feet to the dining room table where an attentive caregiver who knows you by name, what time you get up, and they know exactly what your loved one likes to eat for breakfast.

#2: Community Connection Versus Seclusion and Isolation

Long hallways lead to seclusion and isolation. Residential style assisted care communities are specially designed to create a close nit positive community environment.

The size of a home or facility directly effects a resident’s social involvement because of the effort it takes to navigate distances. Yes, many assisted living facilities have sizable studio apartments, but if a resident can’t easily get around on their own, or they have to wait for assistance doing so… in many cases, it may not seem worth the effort, so they just stay put and isolate.

#3: Resident-to-Care Ratio

The resident care ratio is the single most important factor when considering care for your loved one. Individual time and attention is what is most needed… and is the most overlooked. The questions is, “How many residents are their for each available caregiver at any one moment?”

In residential style Home Plus assisted senior care homes it is typically in the range of 6:1 whereas in many assisted living facilities it can easily reach 15:1.

#4: Less Exposure to Viruses

When an assisted living facility has 50-200 residents, you can imagine how many people are coming and going at any one time, whereas a typical residential style smaller senior care memory home will typically accommodate 8-12 residents. This significantly reduces the possibility of exposure to unwanted viruses.

Our research has shown that there is a major trend towards smaller home-style communities because of these 4 significant advantages.

– Jim Guarino is CEO of Comfort and Love Wichita, Amazon #1 best-selling author, and on the Board of Advisors for the Residential Assisted Living National Association (RALNA).

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Contact our Assisted Memory Care Home in Wichita, Kansas

Have questions? We invite you to call us to discuss your family’s needs: 316-260-4330

Interested in scheduling a tour of our memory care home in Wichita, Kansas? Call us at (316) 260-4330 today or contact us online! We look forward to speaking with you soon.