The objective of long term care for elderly individuals is to provide the necessary assistance for these people who are unable to take care of themselves. This can be achieved with the help of home or community based care services.

It is a good idea to plan ahead regarding long term care of an elderly individual. A sudden illness or injury may need you to arrange for the care of an elderly individual. In such a circumstance, this may lead to a hurried decision, which is often not the right one. You need to consider all aspects before you take any step in this regard.

Before you make any decision regarding the long term care of an elderly family member, you need to have an idea about the different options available for this purpose. Here is a quick overview of these choices.

Home help services for the elderly give them the chance to stay at home. This is often preferred by the elderly individuals as this makes it possible for them to stay in their familiar surroundings.

Assisted living facilities provide elderly individuals the opportunity to avail of care services as and when necessary. The individual may stay at a separate apartment or room and get help with certain tasks like taking medication or getting dressed.

Nursing homes are suitable for elderly individuals who require round the clock care and supervision. If your elderly family member requires assistance for daily living, this may be the right choice for them.

How do you determine which type of long term care may be appropriate for the elderly individual of your family? It is necessary to focus on certain points to find out the type of care choice that will be suitable for your elderly family member. Here are a few details that may help you in determining this.

Level of service – The physical and psychological condition of the elderly individual as well as the circumstances of the family plays a significant role in the selection of the level of long term care for the individual.

Service you can afford – The cost of long term care varies according to the type of service you choose. You need to find out the details of the costs associated with the different services before making any decision.

Preferences of the elderly individual – The family member, for whom you are planning the care, needs to participate in the decision making process. In most cases, elderly individuals prefer staying at home than moving to assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Availability of care – The shift to an assisted living facility or a nursing home may be easier for an elderly individual if it is close to home. If availability is a problem, you may enlist their name to the waiting lists.

First impressions – The care facility must be selected only after you have visited it on your own. This will give you an idea about the way the place operates, the care services available for the residents, the nature and behaviour of the staff members, and so on.

Author Bio

Celia Barrymore has long been associated with a Meath care agency offering help for the elderly. If you are looking for care facilities or live-in carers in Ireland, she suggests you visit http://www.comfortkeepers.ie/ for more details.