Typically, a professional really needs to assess the person in order to find out what level of senior care would be most appropriate for them. Just to give you an idea, here are some example assessment questions:
- “How is your memory? Can you remember what you had for breakfast? What about what you had for dinner last night?”
- “Do you know the date?”
- “Do you always take your medication, or do you sometimes forget?”
- “Have you ever fallen, Are you strong enough to get in and out of the shower without assistance?
Levels of Senior Care in Louisville, KY
Even without a professional assessment, there are a few rules of thumb for each type of senior living community which will help you narrow things down in the initial process.
Independent Living
You must be able to take care of all daily activities on your own. This is a place to live comfortably without having to expend energy on cooking or taking care of a property. There may also be in-home care on site that you could use for scheduled assistance.
Assisted Living
You will have assistance available for bathing, dressing, medication management, and getting directional assistance around the community. There is help available 24/7 and doesn’t have to be scheduled. If you just need help getting something off a shelf, you can press a button and someone will be there within minutes. It is required that you must be able to get into and out of bed by yourself, or with a little assistance from one other person. You must also be ambulatory, whether walking or in a wheel chair or some type of motorized chair.
Personal Care
You will have assistance available for bathing, dressing, medication management, and getting directional assistance around the community. There is help available 24/7 and doesn’t have to be scheduled. If you just need help getting something off a shelf, you can press a button and someone will be there within minutes. It is required that you must be able to get into and out of bed by yourself, or with a little assistance from one other person. You must also be ambulatory, whether walking or in a wheel chair or some type of motorized chair.
The added benefit of personal care is that there is a nurse on staff around the clock that can perform nursing duties such as: assist giving injections, check blood sugars, check oxygen and manage medication (rather than just giving reminders). Personal care looks the same as any assisted living community, just has the added benefit of being able to offer nursing. This is important if someone has COPD, Diabetes or some other medical condition that requires a nurse to monitor.
Memory Care
This is a locked community for those who have memory issues and are at risk of ending up lost if they are free to wander. They have expertise in treating people with dementia and Alzheimer’s and offer special activities to help keep the brain stimulated. This is a regimented atmosphere which can be comforting to people with memory issues. It is required that you must be able to get into and out of bed by yourself, or with a little assistance from one other person. You must also be ambulatory, whether walking or in a wheel chair.
Skilled Care
The highest level of care will be provided for those who have medical conditions which require a nursing home as an extension of the hospital. This is also for bed bound individuals who cannot get out of bed without 2 or more people assisting them, or folks with dementia who need a secure facility. This is the only level of care that Medicaid pays for in the state of Kentucky.
Senior Home Transitions offers free placement assistance services for the Louisville, KY area and more, including an assessment to help you determine what level of care is best for you or your loved one. Call us today! (502) 396-9228
