In every senior’s life, there will come a time that you will be left with having to choose whether you will still be living in your home or to leave for a community living facility. But if you still don’t see any need for a change of your lifestyle in the near future, weighing the pros and cons of in-home care and senior community living is a smart thing to do. So by that time that you need to select, you already know what is right for you.

With in-home care, you will be staying in your home. This is preferred by many who wants more independence. You will be with the care of a professional or a caregiver who will be visiting you regularly. If you choose senior community living, you will be moving to a new home in a residential community where you will be living with other senior seniors like you. You will surely like to live here if you want an active social life.

To help you come up with the right decision, here are the main differences between the two most popular senior living options and their pros and cons.

In-Home Care

In-home care or senior home care is an option where a professional comes to your home for an agreed number of hours in a week to provide care for you.

Pros:

• Caters to Different Needs

While aging, your needs may vary because there may be changes in your physical, mental, and emotional functions. With home care, you will be evaluated to see where you need assistance. Can you not cook for yourself? Do you need assistance when grooming? By doing this, you will still be doing the activities of daily living that you are capable of.

• No Big Adjustments

Senior home care will let you stay in the place where you have made memorable experiences in your life. You will not need to leave your garden or your bathtub. Indeed, there is not much adjustment to make. You only have to get along well with your caregiver.

Cons:

• Higher Cost

Many seniors are leaving their homes because their budget may not allow the increasing cost of maintaining a home. Aside from power bills, food, and water, you may have to pay for maintenance costs, from house cleaning to repairs and keeping your yard in the best condition. Indeed, your money may not last long if you stay in your home for the longest time.

• Loss of Social Life

There will soon come a time when friends coming to visit you will dwindle until only a few will do. You may be losing your physical strength, so you may not be able to go around and socialize. What you call home can be a very lonely place.

Senior Community Care

This is an option where a senior leaves for a facility that is staffed with healthcare providers including nurses, social workers, activity planners, etc.

Pros:

• Active Social Life

If you want an active social life, this option can be excellent for you. You can meet friends and hang out with them. You can also enjoy some activities that are lined up for you.

• Appropriate Health Care Services

There are three types of senior community care; independent living, assisted living, and memory care. If you are enrolled with one of these community care, you can be sure that appropriate health care services will be given to you as these facilities are staffed with different health workers.

• Fixed Cost

While it may be difficult to compare the cost with in-home care, the advantage of senior community care is that you know your budget for a month. You will not be affected by increasing costs and unexpected expenses.

Cons:

• Limited Freedom

Some seniors are not comfortable with senior community care because they do not have the complete freedom they had when living in their homes. First, you may not be able to choose your neighbors. You have to occupy the space that is vacant. You also may not have any say on the food. For some seniors, this is a significant consideration. There may also be some activities that you may not like to participate in.

When deciding on your future senior care options, it is best to consider the opinion of your direct family members. Will they want you to go to senior community care? If not, will they be visiting you more in your home? Whatever the family decides, it may be the best for you. But of course, you should have the final say.