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When it comes to elderly care, Assisted Living and Personal Home Care are used interchangeably. While the primary motive and the basic tenets of the two services are the same, there are some crucial differences that set these two services apart. Depending on the individual requirement of an older adult, one can choose between either an Assisted Living Facility or Personal Home Care.

Assisted Living Facility

Assisted Living Facilities to provide an older adult who for the most part is mentally and physically able, a room which can be either shared or private, in a community or campus with other older adults. It’s a complete facility which has specifically designed activities for older adults and where their food, lodging, and other facilities are paid for on a monthly basis.

Assisted Living Facilities do provide one on one care, but that is strictly part-time; between 3-4 hours in a day- enough for someone to get ready in the morning, get dressed and at the end of the day, change into night clothes and wash (if required) before getting into bed. Assisted Living Facilities can cost anywhere between $4500 to $7500 per month. Assisted Living Facilities all have tiered programs, ranging from Tier 1 to Tier 3.

Tier 1- For those older adults who are completely able-bodied and don’t need any special assistance to carry on their day to day routines.

Tier 2- Elders who are mostly independent, but require assistance in carrying out certain tasks like bathing, dressing, etc.

Tier 3- For elders who are completely dependent on caregivers for even basic tasks like locomotion, eating, changing, etc.

Pros-

1. In Assisted Living Facilities, you are in a community of your peers. You are getting engagement through different activities and social interaction.
2. Less expensive than Personal Home Care

Con-

1. You have to leave your home
2. No full time one on one care even in Tier 3.
3. Completely out of pocket costs. Insurances don’t cover this.

Personal Home Care

Personal Home Care provides services that help with care for mom & dad daily living activities like helping with getting up in the morning, providing help to get bathed and groomed, helping with cooking, taking out the trash, helping them with transportation for shopping and doctors appointments, helping with grocery shopping, etc. Private home caregivers costs on an hourly basis and it is generally $25-$45. That means $ 7800 – $ 14000 for a month, 12 hours a day, not counting Sundays.

Pros-

1. Extensive one on one dedicated care for mom dad
2. You can stay in the familiarity and comfort of your own home.

Con-

1. Costs not covered by insurance
2. More expensive than Assisted Living
3. No social engagement with peers.