Many of us have had experience with elderly relatives, be they parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles. We all worry what’s going to happen if, heaven forbid, they reach a point where professional care is needed.

Those who have gone through this know it’s one of the hardest decisions you will ever have to make. While there aren’t many things you can do to make this process emotionally easier, there are steps that can make the transition physically smoother.

The first thing to know is that there are technically four types of long-term care facilities for the elderly. We’ll explain more about these facilities and how they differ in the paragraphs below.

Independent Living

Often referred to by several names including retirement communities, these are one of the least restrictive types of long-term care facilities out there. A good way to describe them is that they’re more of a just-in-case scenario.

They are set up as specialized neighborhoods, including fully-functioning homes, community activities, free meals, and laundry services. Also, if worse should come to worse, there are medical facilities set up within the neighborhood.

The one downside to this is that the independence and luxury offered by these facilities come with a price. Not only do you have to buy or rent the house in most cases, but you have to pay a monthly fee on top of that. That being said, ultimately any type of facility is going to be costly.

Also, these aren’t regulated, so the employees can legally get away with more than those at most facilities.

Assisted Living Communities

Assisted living facilities offer all the amenities of a retirement community, as well as full-time in-home care. This is ideally suited to those who are basically independent but might need help with small tasks, like using the restroom or remembering their medication.

The bad news is that while your loved one will never want for day-to-day care, medical help is not available at all hours of the day. If you’re the type who insists on always being prepared, you might want to consider other options.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are facilities designed for those who are in need of regular medical assistance. Sometimes, these are used for temporary care, such as after a surgery, or if there is a brief period where their regular caregivers will be otherwise occupied.

These types of facilities are often used to treat those with dementia, Alzheimer’s and similar conditions.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)

Continuing care retirement communities are unique among elderly care facilities in one very specific way. Namely, they offer all the same advantages of the other three facilities.

This is because they are designed to be an all-in-one community. Those with minimal difficulties are housed in one part of the area. Meanwhile, those with more extensive needs are housed in another. An upside of this is that there is room for mobility. Those who develop more advanced conditions can simply move to another part of the facility instead of having to find a new one entirely.

Types of Long-Term Care Facilities

There are four main types of long-term care facilities for the elderly. These are Independent living facilities, assisted living communities, nursing homes and continuing care retirement communities. The main difference between these types of facilities has to do with how much care your loved one needs.

If you want to know more about long-term care facilities or other issues concerning elder care, please visit our site. We can teach you about dementia and how to prevent it. We can also tell you about signs of elder abuse and how you can help.