Success!
A care team member from your local Home Instead® office will contact you by phone or email soon.
Ready to take the next step?
To better assist you, please answer the question below.
What are you looking for?
In-home care services vs. assisted living for seniors
Learn some differences between home care and assisted living care to help determine the right solution for your senior loved one.
Differences between care at assisted living facilities and in-home care
What is home care?
Home care is personalized elderly assistance with your everyday activities around the house such as bathing, cleaning, meal prep and medication reminders. At home caregivers work one-on-one with people at all stages of aging, giving them the opportunity to safely age in place. In-home care agencies, like Home Instead®, are a good option when you need assistance but don’t need advanced, around-the-clock care. Home care services can include help with:
- Personal care
- Meal preparation and tidying
- Medication management and wound care
- Transportation
- Companionship
- Chronic conditions
What are assisted living communities?
Elderly assisted living is a care facility that provides personal and medical care for seniors or other adults. Like home care services, caregivers and nurses help with daily living activities and chronic conditions. However, these services are often the next step once living at home becomes too challenging.
Benefits of home care
Professional care at home: Caregivers are professionally trained, licensed, screened, and insured and undergo regular training to ensure quality standards. Home care offers a hand, whether it's for personal care, such as bathing or grooming, or nurse-directed care, making your life as stress-free as possible.
Tailored one-on-one care: The process starts with a personalized care plan to identify your unique needs. Caregivers visit your home and provide tailored services to help you cope with your medical condition and any challenges. Without additional patients to care for, each home visit is focused time just for you.
Emotional well-being: With some help, many seniors can continue living independently. That’s the goal of home care: to empower you to live comfortably in a familiar environment with family nearby. Caregivers monitor safety and offer assistance, promoting independence, confidence, and a positive outlook.
Benefits of care at a senior assisted living facility
Maintenance-free living: Residential assisted living accommodations provide the services and amenities of a home without the worry of upkeep. Facility directors manage the utilities, maintenance, and overall home care, relieving you and your family from maintenance stress. Personalized services such as dining might also be available.
Assisted living communities: Seniors and other adults have private living spaces but share the facility or complex with others, creating a vibrant community. Seniors can build new friendships and foster enriching personal connections for social and emotional well-being.
Social activities: Assisted living communities often organize events for residents to encourage an active and engaged social life. These activities are resort-style and include everything from movie nights and card games to yoga and pool parties. Social events create connections and meaningful moments, improving quality of life.
Services Comparison Chart
| Services Provided | Home Care | Assisted Living |
|---|---|---|
| Bathing, grooming, dressing |  |
|
| Chronic condition care | |
|
| Personalized care plans | |
|
| One-on-one care | |
|
| In-home meal prep | |
|
| In-home companionship | |
|
| Resort-style activities | |
|
| Restaurant-style eating | |
Home Instead personalized caregiving services at home
Personal care: Personal care involves assisting with daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and hygiene.
Alzheimer’s and dementia care: Our hired caregivers are trained to provide a safe and structured environment, engage in memory-enhancing activities, and address the specific needs of those with cognitive impairments.
Hospice care: We focus on ensuring comfort, providing pain management, and emotional support for the patient and their family during the end-of-life stage.
24-hour care: 24-hour care is an option when a patient needs constant personal home care assistance to ensure their safety. This is often the case for bed-bound people and people who are:
- Recovering from surgery
- Living with Alzheimer's disease or dementia
- Recovering from a stroke, heart attack, or other serious health event
Mobility assistance: We help individuals with limited mobility to move around safely. Caregiver companions may assist with transferring from bed to chair, walking support, and using mobility aids to enhance independence.
Meal Prep: Meal preparation services involve planning and cooking nutritious meals based on dietary preferences and restrictions, ensuring proper nutrition.
Transportation: Care Pros help individuals get to medical appointments, run errands, or attend social activities. This is valuable for those with difficulty driving or using public transportation.
Housekeeping: Services include light cleaning and organizing tasks to maintain a safe and comfortable living environment. This may involve tasks such as dusting, vacuuming, and laundry.
Medication reminders: Our Care Pros provide timely reminders for individuals to take their medications as prescribed. This service helps ensure medication adherence and proper management of health conditions.
Chronic illness care: Assistance for individuals with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or respiratory disorders. We help manage symptoms, monitor health, and coordinate with healthcare professionals.
What are the benefits of home care?
There are several benefits to receiving private, elderly care in the home, for you and your aging loved one. Home care providers, like Home Instead, offer respite care to family caretakers as well as the peace of mind of knowing your loved one is in good hands. For seniors, the benefits of one-on-one, personal home care assistance include:
- Access to high-quality, personalized care
- Greater independence
- Enhanced safety and comfort
- Companionship and social engagement
Why Home Instead?
Choosing someone to care for your family is one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make. Our companion caregivers not only provide a superior level of care but also bring joy and reassurance to those they spend time with. Contact Home Instead for:
- Qualified caregivers. Home Instead care professionals are screened, extensively trained, and reliable
- Customized care plans. Our in-home care consultations develop an individualized care plan for your loved one’s specific home care needs.
- High quality care. We regularly evaluate the care we provide to better it through in-person reassessments, surveys, and conversations with family and healthcare providers.
Free care consultation
Your local Home Instead performs a thorough in-home consultation to recommend a care plan. Whether it's respite to get a good night’s sleep or 24-hour home care to help your loved one stay safe and comfortable, services can be tailored to meet your needs.
Find home care services near me
Our mission is to help your loved ones maintain their safety and independence in the comfort of their familiar surroundings. Contact us today to find reliable senior care services.