What Is Elder Care?

The term elder care has many meanings and may even conjure many different images based on your experience and what kind of interpretations you’ve been exposed to. It can refer to:

• Institutionalized senior care
• Stay-at-home or age-in-place care
• Retirement communities
• Local councils on aging
• Gentle yoga or water aerobics
• Hospice care

When your parents get too old to take care of themselves — or you worry about an accident when they’re on their own — you start examining what elder care means to you. The choice you make often is ruled by finances as much as needs. Your options include:

• Bringing in a certified nursing assistant
• Putting your parents in a nursing home
• Moving them to an assisted living facility
• Considering an independent living group home
• Becoming their primary caregiver
• Sharing the duties with your siblings or other family members

What Elder Care Really Entails

You may not have put much thought into senior care until it became an issue. That’s normal. You’re looking for what’s available, which shows you love your parents and want the best for them. That’s why you’ve found this article. While everyone has different needs, the most basic forms of elder care effectively provide:

• Comfortable, private living arrangements, which may be a full apartment or a room in a house
• Help, if necessary, with the activities of daily living, which includes hygiene, bathroom duties, dressing and getting in and out of bed
• Meal preparation, which may include special diets
• Transportation to and from doctor appointments and other commitments
• Age-appropriate activities that keep the mind sharp and the body fit
• Companionship and mental stimulation

Elder care that focuses on your parents’ needs shows them compassion, dignity and respect. The basics dictate that the environment be safe, comfortable and inspiring. If you believe it’s difficult to find all of this in one place, check out what Silverbell Homestead has to offer.

Seniors Have Special Needs

When people age, their minds may stay as sharp as ever, but physical changes hamper what they can accomplish. These changes come in varying degrees and may include:

• Heart rate steadily drops
• Cardiovascular system becomes less efficient
• Bone density becomes an issue
• Muscles and organs grow tired and weaker
• Incontinence issues
• Memory problems may create confusion
• Vision and hearing worsen
• Teeth need more care
• Skin shows more signs of aging

While genetics affects the rate at which these aging symptoms may appear, almost everyone suffers from them sooner or later. Seniors do have some control over their physical and mental health with the lifestyle choices they make. Positive choices include:

• Not smoking
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Getting regular exercise
• Playing stimulating games
• Participating in active hobbies
• Doing rewarding work
• Socializing with friends and family nearly every day

Personalized Elder Care Services

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution to elder care because every senior may have different needs and desires. As long as round-the-clock medical care isn’t required, a solution such as Silverbell Homestead provides an option. Groups of 10 to 12 seniors share a house in an established neighborhood in Asheville or Hendersonville, NC. Supervision, healthcare aides, meals and even activities are shared.

At Silverbell Homestead homes, you’ll find services to fit your parents’ needs, whether they need a lot of attention or just a little. You’ll find a place where elders have a voice in their care, where a backyard garden or a visiting after-school child can make a big difference in the quality of life. Contact Silverbell Homestead today for more information.