Senior living has made massive strides in the past decade, and The Heritage is on the leading edge. However, we’ve found that many people haven’t caught up to us and realized just how uniquely powerful assisted living can be. Instead, they immediately think “nursing home” when the subject of senior living comes up. This is an unfortunate association because assisted living and nursing homes are very different. In today’s blog, we’re going to explore the differences between assisted living and skilled nursing.
Assisted Living vs. Skilled Nursing
There are a bunch of differences between assisted living and skilled nursing, including the following:
Assisted Living
When you live in an assisted living facility, you will receive assistance with dressing, medications, bathing, and meal preparation. These are all basic activities that play a huge role in your quality of life. They get more difficult as you get older, and an assisted living facility is designed to take that burden off of your shoulders or the shoulders of your family. Assisted living is not temporary; it’s residential and intended to be a new home.
Assisted living facilities are beautiful because they can provide you help when you’re having a rough day. On the other hand, they also encourage independence, and many people end up living better than they did when they were on their own. Residents have the freedom of creating their own schedules, pursuing their own hobbies and interests at their own pace. Many assisted living facilities also provide optional transportation to appointments and stores, again enhancing the freedom of their residents as well as providing peace of mind to their families.
Skilled Nursing
This type of care is provided on a temporary basis. It’s used most often after hospitalization or a dramatic health decline. When you stay in a skilled nursing facility, you will receive care focused on helping your recover. The goal of this type of care is created to return you to independent living as soon as possible.
Encouraging Independence
Many people seem to think that both assisted living and skilled nursing will reduce their independence, cutting them off from their passions and preventing them from living life to the fullest. Nothing could be further from the truth. Skilled nursing facilities are designed to get you on your feet again, and assisted living facilities are designed to increase your independence. At The Heritage, we provide a wide array of independence-fostering services, including the following:
- On-site kitchen providing three full meals a day
- Assistance with healthcare plans
- Transportation to therapy and doctor appointments
- On-site wellness center
- Scheduled trips and outings
- Constant emergency response and security systems
We not only provide a world-class living environment for our residents, we also provide respite care. We understand how hard family members and friends may work to help their loved ones living right, and we know it can be a heavy burden. That is why we provide a place for the elderly to stay temporarily while their family members take a break. When someone stays with us for respite care, they get customized meals, 24-hour care, and other services. Our knowledgeable staff will make it a wonderful experience for everyone involved.
The Heritage is a community built on the idea that life doesn’t have to shrink down or become less when you get older. Instead, it can expand into something new. It is a time for you to dive into your hobbies, your passions, and those things you never thought you’d get to do. Our team of compassionate, dedicated experts works hard every day to provide our residents with world-class senior living. Learn more about our senior living apartments in Hammonton today!