What Are The Differences Between Assisted Living And Independent Living?

independent living in Calgary

There can be a lot of confusion among the terms used for senior living options. Both assisted living and independent living may seem synonymous terms, but actually, there are Some differences. The ultimate goal of both Assisted Living and Independent living is to make the retirement period of seniors as much enjoyable as possible. If you are looking for Senior living or independent living in Calgary, it will solely depend upon your personal needs and wants.

Differences between assisted living and independent living:

Seniors who require more pampering and help in activities of daily living prefer assisted living in Calgary. The main difference between independent living and assisted living is focused on personal, social, and medical care. Independent living in Calgary is more focused on the social needs of senior residents, while the assisted living facilities provide more intense care in regard to ADLs and medical perspectives. This article will help you to decide which senior living facility is more suitable for you. Following are the most prominent differences between assisted and independent living Calgary.

Cost of living:

Almost every senior living in Calgary offers three-time meals, housekeeping, and security. The rental cost depends upon the services you seek from independent or assisted living in Calgary. However, the assisted living model is generally costlier than independent living because you get more services in assisted living in Calgary. The two most significant reasons for the higher cost of assistive living facilities in Calgary are medical and personal care. These two services are imperative for those who have more health limitations.

Medical and supportive care:

Independent living Calgary is best suitable for you if you already have an active lifestyle and no major health issues. These senior living facilities in Calgary provide the basic necessities to help you during your retirement period. However, assisted livings in Calgary are more loaded with robust medical and personal care services. This option is highly suitable for those seniors who are living with some comorbidities and require external care for the activities of daily living (ADLs). This is by far the most important difference between both models.

Your decision to choose an independent or assistive living will highly depend upon your overall health and dependency status.

Community design:

The community design for Calgary independent living is more spread out and includes large campuses. The central gathering area is used mostly for meals and some community programs. The design of this type of senior living in Calgary is only suitable for active seniors.

The overall infrastructure of assisted living in Calgary is more self-contained. A more centralized approach is used for assisted living so that the movement of medically challenged seniors can be easier. You can find a lot of navigated walking tracks, visual signs, colour codings, and enhanced lighting to assist seniors who require extra care for their ADLs.

Involvement of family members:

The independent living facilities in Calgary are preferred by those seniors who need minimal assistance from their family members. So, the decision of family involvement is totally subjective and depends upon the personal needs of the resident.

However, assisted living offers residential space along with easy-to-access medical and personal care for those who have health/activity limitations. The role of family members becomes more proactive in the case of assisted living facilities.

Community programs:

There are not many differences in regards to community programs for both models. Senior livings Calgary provides peer groups to create a more suitable environment for seniors. The activities offered by independent livings in Calgary are mostly the take-outs, senior fitness programs, and hobbies that involve more physical strength.

However, the community programs offered by assisted living in Calgary are more focused on cognitive abilities, functional activities, and social wellbeing.

Staff:

The staff requirements for senior livings in Calgary must include:

  • Housekeeping
  • Kitchen staff
  • Cleaning staff

However, for assisted living facilities, personal care staff is also requested because the residents are unable to perform their ADLs on their own. The additional staff for assisted living Calgary must include:

  • Nursing/medical care
  • Supportive/personal care

Residents of assisted living in Calgary are more dependent on others for their movements. Family members can play an active role in taking care of the personal needs of the resident. However, some seniors don’t have family members by their side. So, in this case, the need for an assisted living facility becomes more obvious.

Bottom-line:

Senior livings in Calgary offer all the necessities to help you enjoy your retirement age. Calgary Independent living is more suitable for those seniors who are otherwise healthy. The main differences between independent and assisted living in Calgary are based upon rental costs, medical/personal care, specified community designs, community programs, and the involvement of families.

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