Perhaps you are currently facing the challenge of organising care for the elderly for your relatives and are confronted with a huge selection of possible forms of housing for the elderly. Perhaps your parents or grandparents would also like to stay in their home as long as possible or at least be able to live with their family. But this cannot always be achieved – either because care is not possible because of the housing situation, or because relatives cannot provide care for professional reasons.
You don’t have to feel bad if you place your relative in an inpatient facility, because there are also many advantages – both for your relative and for you. Take the time to find out more about the different forms of housing and care.
71 percent of the 2.63 million people in need of care are cared for at home. In about two thirds of the cases, the relatives themselves take care of the elderly. Only in the case of around 616,000 people in need of nursing care does an outpatient nursing service (the so-called “mobile nursing care for the elderly”) intervene in a supportive manner or take care of the person in need of nursing care completely. Around 764,000 people live in fully inpatient care facilities, where they are cared for around the clock. However, more and more innovative and hybrid concepts for living in old age are being developed, which are convincing both those affected and their relatives. It is best to first get an overview of the various forms of living and care in old age before you decide on a closer selection.
Living in old age: a guide to care for the elderly
With regard to the form of housing for old age, you can choose between several variants, which differ not only in the form of housing, but also in particular in the possible care offers, the degree of independence and the proximity to the family.
Home care for the elderly in your own home
Even if it is much more expensive for you and your family to care for your patient at home, many relatives have a personal need. Grandpa, grandma or parents can then continue to live in their familiar surroundings and have their loved ones around them at home. The majority of senior citizens and those in need of care also wish to stay at home for as long as possible and to grow old there. But home care for the elderly also places high demands – both on the living space and on the caring relatives.
Whether home care is an option for you and your family member in need of care depends on many factors. Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and discuss the choice of the type of care with the whole family and above all with your relative in detail.
The following forms of care and nursing can be used or supplemented within the framework of care for the elderly at home: outpatient care, day and night care, prevention care, 24-hour care, hourly care for the elderly, intensive care, palliative care, short-term care
Shared flat for senior citizens
The need for care for most elderly people is increasing slowly and gradually. Some no longer manage complex household tasks on their own and increasingly miss the company of people outside the home and companies with like-minded people. A senior citizens’ shared flat is the ideal solution here.
The residents of a senior living community can support each other, bundle synergies and still live independently. Like many students, several senior citizens move into one apartment together and share care and support services. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this form of living and how can you find out whether it is the best form of living for your relative?
Multi-generation house
A multi-generation house is the ideal solution for families and those in need of care who like to live close together, but still have their own privacy and privacy. Often, houses on the ground floor are barrier-free for the elderly, while the younger family members live on the first floor with their own family. The advantage of a multi-generation house is quite clear: all parties can retain their independence, but at the same time can easily organise and manage care for the elderly together if necessary. One risk, however, is the often high potential for conflict due to the spatial proximity.
These forms of care are suitable for living in a multi-generation house: outpatient care, day and night care, preventive care, 24-hour care, hourly elderly care, intensive care, palliative care, short-term care.
Assisted living: Living in old age plus old-age care
Assisted living in old age is a combination solution which, in addition to a barrier-free home, includes care services adapted to the situation. The concept, also known as “living with service”, “senior living” or “living plus”, is very popular with the older generation because it offers them freedom without having to forego help in everyday life.
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