Assisted Living vs Personal Care for Seniors in Sandy Springs

Assisted Living vs Personal Care for Seniors in Sandy Springs

A common question potential residents ask is, ” What’s the difference between assisted living and personal care? ” Here, we’ll provide clarification to help make your decision as easy as possible while you seek independent living or personal care for seniors in Sandy Springs.

In short, there are very few differences between the care provided in assisted living residences and personal care homes. In fact, the primary difference between the two is the kind of license they hold, not the kind of services or quality of services that are provided.

So, what do they have in common?

While not all communities are the same, most have these in common whether personal care or assisted living:

• Assistance with personal cares
• The option for private living spaces
• Access to a full schedule of activities
• 24/7 maintenance service
• In-room or restaurant-style dining
• Local transportation
• Wellness activities like group exercise and gym equipment
• Medication administration
• Access to common areas for family gatherings

Additionally, both assisted living and personal care communities to offer the ability to age in place; that is, stay in the community if their needs increase. Sometimes, moving is inevitable, but both types of communities aim to keep residents for as long as possible to limit the number of moves required and the impact that results.

How are they different?

The primary difference between personal care homes and assisted living facilities is the license they hold, and which license they’re granted by the state agency depends largely on the building construction. Because there are no significant differences in the services or care provided, many professionals continue to challenge the state’s decision to classify these very similar communities differently.

Choosing between Assisted Living and Personal Care

Many people are surprised to find that because personal care and assisted living are so similar in their services and delivery of care, they have more options to explore and more opportunities to find a community that meets all of their needs. These tips can help you narrow down your options and make a choice you feel good about:

• If you’re looking for assisted living, including personal care communities in your search
• Don’t get caught up on technicalities; choose the community that best fits your needs
• Look for facilities that also offer independent living as this allows for the greatest potential to enjoy the luxury of community retirement and age in place
• Use the information available online to narrow the list down to 3-5 communities and then schedule site visits to get a better feel for the community culture
• Prepare your questions ahead of time and use the same questions at each site visit so you can compare apples to apples

The factors that most families consider priorities in their search include the culture of the community; the friendliness and accessibility of staff and leadership; the services provided; cost; and the potential to age in place. Knowing your priorities – including your must-haves and non-negotiables – can help guide your decision and ease stress during the process.

Hammond Glen is a modern independent living and personal care community nestled in Sandy Springs. To learn more about the difference between assisted living and personal care – or to schedule a site visit with Hammond Glen – contact our friendly team today. We can’t wait to meet you!

*This blog was first published here: Sunshine Retirement Living, May, 2019.