What Is a Residential Care Setting?
Surveys and research support the proposition that most older Americans want to remain in their own homes. Technically speaking, this is known as aging in place. The reality is that remaining in one’s home is not always a practical or safe course for many older people to take.
There are a variety of different types of alternate housing options available to older people who may need assistance with activities of daily living, at least to some degree. Among these possibilities is a residential care home or residential care setting.
Description of a Residential Care Setting
A residential care setting is a living space for older people that is markedly smaller than most assisted living facilities. It is a residential community for older people who do need at least some assistance with activities of day to day living. Residential care communities typically provide the same level of care found at an assisted living center.
As noted a moment ago, a residential care community is significantly smaller than most assisted care facilities. Generally speaking, a residential care community has 10 or fewer residents. This contrasts with dozens or even hundreds of people that might reside in a larger assisted living facility.
More Personalized Care
One of the primary benefits of a residential care setting is that residents generally receive more personalized care when contrasted with larger assisted living options. The mere fact that there are far fewer people in a residential care setting makes it far easier for each resident to have a truly customized and individualized care plan. Additionally, the staff to resident ratio is nearly always more favorable in a residential care home.
More Autonomy and Independence
Residents of a residential care home also usually have more autonomy and independence. Fewer residents – indeed, far fewer residents – make it far more practical for those women and men in residential care communities to have a greater degree of autonomy and independence. More autonomy and independence in a residential care home is a natural outgrowth of having a more customized and individualized care plan at these types of long-term care communities.
More Family Connections and Involvement
Experience has shown us that residential care homes engender stronger family connections and more contact between residents and their loved ones. A residential care setting really is like a person’s home. Therefore, having relatives over to visit is easy to accomplish. Moreover, the typical residential care community offers different types of programming. This includes activities and events that are specially designed with an eye to including residents’ family members.
Specialized Activities
A residential care setting typically features an array of different types of specialized activities beyond the more run of the mill offerings typically seen at larger assisted living facilities. For example, Mom’s Garden is a California residential care home that has its own special activities for residents. These include dedicated gardening spaces for each woman who lives in the community.
Preferable and Familiar Location
Typical residential care assisted living communities more often than not are located in single-family residences or similar types of properties. They tend to be nestled in neighborhoods among other residential properties. In other words, one of the appealing aspects of a residential care home is that is in a location and setting that generally is both preferable and familiar to residents (and prospective residents).
Enhanced Safety and Security
Another feature of a residential care home is enhanced safety and security for its residents. Because residents of these homes tend to be older, they necessarily are part of a more vulnerable population. As a consequence, extra care is taken to outfit a residential care setting with safety features to assist and protect those who reside in the premises.
In addition, these residential centers also tend to have comprehensive security as well. This includes security features both inside and outside of the residence. A special focus on security and these homes is not only that associated with fire and law enforcement emergency services but medical as well. Attention is paid to ensuring that emergency medical assistance can be dispatched and onsite at a residential assisted living home as quickly as possible in the event that a resident has some sort of health-related issue.
When it comes to enhanced safety and security, one other point warrants mentioning. This type of residential setting maintains around the clock staff on site.
Residential care communities are becoming more commonplace in this day and age. Therefore, if you are an older person who believes might benefit from an assisted living environment, you might want to determine what is available in the way of residential care communities in your area. Likewise, if you are the adult child of a person in need of assisted living care, you would be well served considering a residential care setting along with more traditional assisted living options that are available today.