Even if your loved one needs more care than can be provided at home, you may be hesitant to move them to senior living right now. You may be thinking staying put is safest for them during the pandemic. Yet surprisingly, senior living communities may be able to limit their exposure to COVID-19, perhaps even more so than at home. Here’s how.
Are you caring for a loved one yourself? At Vitality, we know it isn’t easy. That’s why we created a resource to help make caregiving days go a little more smoothly. The Caregiver’s Checklist: Supporting an Aging Parent covers a wide variety of topics ranging from creating a safe home environment to how to recognize the signs a senior needs more assistance. Download it with our compliments today!
Senior Living is NOT a Nursing Home
In senior living you’ll find a continuum of care that includes independent living, assisted living and memory care. The first is more lifestyle focused and is for active seniors who need little daily assistance yet want carefree living with a range of social opportunities. Assisted living offers onsite care, 24-hour supervision and support with daily activities plus similar amenities and social opportunities to independent living. Memory care is specifically for those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and features 24/7 support as well as specially-trained staff in a safe, nurturing environment.
On the other hand, nursing homes are for seniors with medical conditions requiring round-the-clock or specialized support such as wound care, intravenous (IV) therapy, injections and catheter care. As such, the needs of nursing home residents require much closer (and ongoing) contact with healthcare providers than those in senior living. What’s more, as nursing homes are primarily a medical setting, residents live in smaller rooms often with a roommate which makes social distancing extremely difficult.
Senior Living Limits Exposure
Senior living communities like ours are 100 percent committed to limiting exposure to our residents, families and associates. Compared to home, we may have a better ability to limit exposure to COVID-19 by:
- Strictly following the most up-to-date local, state and federal guidelines for cleaning, PPE and social distancing.
- Making sure residents have everything they need under one roof so you don’t have to come in contact with risky, public touchpoints.
- Limiting access to visitors and performing safety checks for everyone who does enter the community.
- Having associates in place who are experienced with outbreaks and also providing ongoing training as new information becomes available on COVID-19.
Moving to Senior Living During COVID-19
To make sure the move-in process is safe and smooth, we have a range of safety precautions in place. For example, new move-ins are tested 72 hours prior to your move-in date as well as on day seven after move-in. New residents are also asked to shelter in their apartments until after the second COVID-19 test is negative.
Added Peace of Mind
At home, there are other concerns that can pose health risks to seniors during this time such as social isolation and lack of activity. But in senior living you won’t have to worry over any of these things. Our communities have a strong supply chain which eliminates concerns over out-of-stock necessities. We also offer residents ample technology resources as well as plenty of creative, socially distanced activities to keep them engaged and connected. What’s more, we have 24-hour staffing and access to testing so you can rest assured we’re able to respond quickly to any potential symptoms or concerns.
To learn more about senior living at Vitality, contact us to schedule a virtual tour.
