Senior Living Communities: Know the Differences

Making a move to a senior living community isn’t a small decision, and it can be confusing if you don’t know what all the labels mean. Would you be best served by an independent living, assisted living, long-term care, or hospice community? The choices can feel overwhelming, and you don’t want to make the wrong decision. 

Fortunately, it’s easy to tell the types of senior living communities apart once you have the right information. Here’s what you need to know so you can select the right type of senior living community for you.

Independent Living

Independent living is what we do here at Normandy Living. This type of senior living community is best for seniors who are, as the name suggests, still independent. You’ll still live on your own, in your own apartment, but you won’t have to worry about things like lawn maintenance, home repairs, or cooking. You’ll enjoy living in a community of your peers, and you can take advantage of social programming and other amenities. 

Independent living communities are designed to accommodate mobility challenges, so you can still live on your own, even if you do have some health concerns. You can also choose to bring in your own home care services, which is important to know if you’re worried your health may cause you to need additional care in the future. However, independent living facilities do not provide medical care themselves and do not have nursing staff on site, so you’ll need to go through your government plan for home health care. 

Assisted Living

If you are still fairly independent but have significant health problems that require care, an assisted living community may be your best option. You can have your own room and take advantage of your community’s amenities, but you’ll also have staff available to help with things like dressing, mobility, bathing, and medicine.

Although assisted living facilities do provide some care to residents, they do not offer 24-hour care. As such, they are best for seniors who can still manage on their own at least part of the time. 

Long-Term Care

Long-term care communities are best if you (or your loved one) needs constant care. These communities have nursing and care staff available 24 hours a day to attend to your medical and physical needs. 

Although long-term care facilities do not offer as many activities as independent living or assisted living communities, they are the best option if you need 24-hour care.

Hospice

Hearing that you have a life-limiting condition is always difficult. Many people in such circumstances choose to spend the remainder of their lives under hospice care, rather than in a hospital. Although many Canadians receive hospice care while living in a family member’s home, there are also some hospice communities. If you have a life-limiting condition and would like a home-like environment but don’t have family members who can care for you, a hospice community could be a wonderful choice.

Moving to a senior living community is a major life decision, but having the right information makes deciding between the types of communities much easier. Remember, you can always move between communities or bring in your own home health aides if circumstances change and you need more care.

At Normandy Living, we are committed to providing a safe independent living community that supports vibrant aging. Want to learn more? Fill out the questionnaire at the bottom of the page to receive priority consideration on your application.