Are Assisted Living and Personal Care the Same Thing?
Today’s older adults have many options in senior living, but having options can also cause confusion. For example, personal care and assisted living are two terms that are often used interchangeably; but in 2011 the State of Pennsylvania decided that there should be a way to distinguish between the two types of communities. They are licensed separately based on a few differences.
- Concept: At a free-standing assisted living community there is no health care center; additional services are brought to residents for as long as possible allowing them to “age in place”. In personal care, if health care services are required, a resident may need to relocate to a different community. Foxdale Village is a continuing care retirement community with a full range of care services including independent living, personal care, skilled nursing, memory care and short-term rehabilitation.
- Construction: Personal care homes may have shared bedroom arrangements, while assisted living may not. This does not mean that all personal care homes only offer shared rooms, making touring prospective communities important. Foxdale Village offers all private residences.
- Level of Care: The most obvious difference is the availability of increased care levels, if needed. Free-standing assisted living communities must provide skilled nursing interventions, on-site, when a resident’s needs become too great for only assisted living services. Foxdale Village offers all levels of care, including skilled nursing, eliminating the need for a resident to move to another community.
At Foxdale Village, Darlington House is designed to meet the needs of residents who require assistance, but want to remain as independent as possible. Personal care will help with everyday tasks like eating, bathing, dressing and other personal hygiene related activities. We can also help manage health care by setting up and maintaining doctor’s appointments and taking already prescribed medication. Residents can enjoy peace of mind knowing that licensed nursing staff are on-site 24 hours a day.
