As we live longer, more and more of us need assistance and care options. As the senior population has grown, so have elder care options.

Home Care. For those who need some assistance, but are not ready to give up their home and personal routine, home care services are available. Both non-medical and medical services are available; you may simply need some help with errands and chores, or you may want someone who can help with medications, post-hospital care, or rehabilitation routines. You can discuss you needs with an agency who supplies elder care staff, or try to locate possible candidates yourself via word of mouth or your local senior center. Levels of care and the hours needed in your home can be negotiated for a “trial run” while you see how it works out. Your needs may change with time, and you can always re-assess.

Retirement Communities. This is a generic term that covers a lot of ground. Usually the term is geared toward developments that have been specifically planned with seniors in mind. Clusters of homes, apartments, or condo with common amenities are designed and marketed to appeal to those who no longer work and have more leisure, or who have reached a certain age. (The latter are called “Age-Restricted Communities” and most specify that at least one member of a household be over 50 or 55, though minimum ages vary.) Residents maintain their own private (non-communal) residences, though they may use a group clubhouse, pool, lake, library, or golf course.

Assisted Living Facilities. For those who need more help with the activities of daily living (ADLs) such as showering, dressing, and eating, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are an option. These facilities usually offer a home-like setting, and staff offer assistance only as needed. ALFs also have nurses on duty; however, extensive one-on-one care is rarely offered. If needs increase, residents of ALFs may need to transition to long-term care facilities.

Nursing homes are usually the next level of care. Most nursing homes offer long-term units that offer round-the-clock care by trained nursing aides and nurses. There is often a higher staff-to-resident ratio here than in ALFs, meaning more individualized attention. Care in nursing homes is tailored to fit the individual resident’s needs; care can change as the resident’s needs change. While encouraging as much independence as possible, nursing aides usually assist elders with ADLs, and these facilities expect to offer more consistent medical attention.

Dementia Units. Some nursing homes offer special units for dementia care. As dementia progresses, more and more assistance is often needed with ADLs. Dementia care units offer nurses and trained aides who are available to patients 24 hours a day. For more severe cases of dementia, many specialized units offer safeguards to prevent confused residents from wandering out of the facility and becoming lost, hurt, or injured.

Graduated Care Facilities/Communities. To meet residents’ changing needs, larger facilities offer different levels of living options, such as apartments and condominiums for independent living (retirement units), ALFs, and then healthcare centers. The healthcare centers usually offer long-term, nursing, and dementia care.