When all else fails, compassion is what keeps an individual going. Certain illnesses often debilitate patients, taking away their strength and limiting their physical abilities, but they don’t affect just the physical body. These health conditions also affect a person’s dignity, trampling one’s morale and self-confidence, which does nothing but contribute to a patient’s suffering even more.
This is why palliative and hospice care are both important facets of providing care to a patient. Both aspects of health care provide compassionate care to individuals with critical illnesses as well as to those with only a few months to live. While both of them cater to a person’s emotional and spiritual needs, palliative care and hospice care are still two different things.
Learn more about the facts and figures surrounding palliative and hospice care, including their nature, treatment, and eligibility, through the comprehensive yet reader-friendly infographic by Cables and Sensors.
An Alternative to Palliative and Hospice Care: Retirement Homes
With an ever-aging population, the option of retiring homes supplements the traditional palliative and hospice care facilities for people who are ailing. This entails the number of services it offers that cater to elderly persons who may not be ill and need more intensive care but need the kind of assistance that can only be provided in these facilities. Residential care, often referred to as Independent living, separate housing for the elderly, or skilled nursing facilities, is a home-like environment that is between independent living and nursing home care.
There is an aspect that is very important, and that is the amount of money that one will be required to pay to get a retirement home. Retirement homes might attract different costs depending on some factors such as the geographical location of the home, the kind of care given to the residents, and other services offered within the compound. The combined price for assisted living facilities varies between $3000-$4500 a month on average. However, this can expand depending on the geographical location of the facility and the type of care offered, which can include more enhanced and luxurious features.
As mentioned earlier, retirement homes are likely to be more social and stimulating for the residents, as opposed to hospice and palliative care designs, which are often more clinically oriented and cater to dependent patients who are in the final stages of their lives. Many types of activities are commonly offered for residents in retirement homes, including health-related programs, exercise sessions, creative programs such as painting and drawing, social affairs, and trips. This focus on cultivating a dynamic community can greatly improve the well-being of elderly persons, giving them a chance to get to know fellow members of society and be active members themselves.
It is high time that the various costs implicated by retirement homes ought to be checked against what is included in the monthly premiums. Features to look for include the meals, who will provide the housekeeping, will they offer transport, and whether any medical assistance is involved? May also have special programs for those individuals who have Alzheimer’s or dementia or may have other needs. However, other options, such as financial assistance programs for the elderly and long-term care insurance policies, may address certain expenditures that are to be incurred in retirement homes.
In conclusion, while the cost of retirement homes can be substantial, they present a compelling alternative to palliative and hospice care by offering a supportive and engaging environment for seniors. This option allows elderly individuals to enjoy a higher quality of life while receiving the care and assistance they need.
