As you age, you may require assistance with daily activities. Home care and living in a continuing care retirement community/CCRC are two common options for receiving the services you need to live a high-quality life.
However, there are still big differences between these two senior care options, and what worked for you previously may not work for you now.
Here, we break down the details of home care and CCRCs to help you decide if it’s time to make a move to senior living or continue aging in your current home.
The Difference Between Home Care, Home Health Care and a CCRC
“Home care” is a term that covers a broad range of in-home services to help you age safely at home. Examples include transportation to appointments and errands, preparing meals and personal grooming. Many people confuse home care with “home health care,” which is a term used to describe in-home, short-term, physician-directed services to help you recover from injury, illness. The cost of receiving care at home varies widely by the services you require and the number of hours needed with a caregiver.
Continuing care retirement communities/CCRCs, also known as Life Plan Communities, are senior living communities that offer priority access to an on-site continuum of care that may include independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing with predictable monthly fees for life. Your monthly fee also includes access to dining venues and a variety of services and amenities that enrich your retirement, make your daily routine easier, and help you live an independent lifestyle.
At Legacy Pointe, the multiple disciplines provided by the University of Central Florida, including the College of Health Professions and Sciences, Social Work Department and College of Science’s Psychology Department influence the quality of our senior health care services.
Areas or Rooms of Your Home Are Unused
No matter the quality of your home care, it may be difficult to use certain areas of your house as your needs change. Stairs may be too steep to climb, doorways might not accommodate mobility aids, or the high shower walls of your tub could make it hard to shower or bathe.
Not being able to use your entire home is a good sign you’d be happier in a continuing care retirement community, where apartment floor plans are designed to help you maintain your desired level of comfort and promote an independent lifestyle.
Residences for each level of living at Legacy Pointe are well-appointed and feature all the comforts of home. For instance, each assisted living floor plan features bright and airy bedrooms, open living areas, accommodating bathrooms, and charming kitchenettes.
Care at Home Isn’t Providing Enough Social Opportunities
Even though home care can provide you with quality assistance with daily activities, they typically can’t provide you with a wide variety of social and cultural activities. An unfulfilling social life can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, which can have detrimental effects on your well-being.
If you feel you could benefit from more opportunities to meet new people and explore your interests, it might be time to move into senior living.
At Legacy Pointe, we offer abundant ways to get to know your neighbors and interact with the people who live in the surrounding area. You can attend lifelong learning courses at the University of Central Florida, engage in energizing volunteer opportunities, join resident-led interest groups and more.
It’s Difficult to Keep Up with Home Maintenance
Care at home is over and above the cost of homeownership. Along with budgeting for the services you need to live a high-quality life, you’ll also need to consider mortgage payments, homeowners insurance, property taxes, utilities, home repair costs, and lawn care costs. You should also consider time and energy spent completing home maintenance tasks yourself.
When keeping up with the demands of owning a home is taking precious time away spent with your loved ones and pursuing your passions, you could benefit from a maintenance-free lifestyle in a CCRC.
The apartments and villas at Legacy Pointe include home maintenance, inside and out. We’ll take care of home repairs and landscaping, while you enjoy more free time and energy to engage with the world around you.
You Want to Provide Your Family with Peace of Mind
One of the biggest drawbacks of home care services is that round-the-clock care can be very expensive. Many family caregivers cut costs by providing care for their loved ones themselves. However, it still requires a portion of their personal budget, and dedicating their free time to providing you with a high-quality life can quickly lead to caregiver burnout.
This is especially true for family members with loved ones who require comprehensive assisted living services or have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
Assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing in a CCRC provide care day and night. Communities like Legacy Pointe have qualified medical professionals and caregivers on-site 24/7, and feature secure, comfortable settings for residents with dementia.
Along with priority access to higher levels of living, including long-term care in skilled nursing, you and your family gain peace of mind knowing your needs will be taken care of in the community you call home. This allows family caregivers to return to the simple joy of just being a family, and spend more quality time with you and other loved ones.
Experience a Vibrant Lifestyle and High-Quality Senior Care at Legacy Pointe
Ready to learn more about our lifestyle and senior health care services at Legacy Pointe? We warmly welcome new residents in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing without requiring an entrance fee. Call us at 407-917-6418 or contact our sales counselors online to start a conversation about your future in our community.
