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In The Press
The following is an article from The Evening Sun which features Bestcare Assisted Living
Source link: The Evening Sun
Assisted-living facilities:
 When seniors can no longer live on their own or with their families, many assume that they should turn to nursing homes - highly regulated facilities that care for older adults with severe physical health and/or mental disabilities.
However, senior housing is a dynamic and growing industry, and today there are a wide range of options. Generally, they can be broken down into four categories: independent living, assisted living, campus-style communities, and nursing homes.
Catherine Best, a registered nurse who owns and operates BestCare Luxury Assisted Living in Reisterstown, Md. said that assisted living facilities have become a popular choice for older people who require assistance with their daily living activities and health problems, but do not necessarily need around-the-clock nursing care.
She has found that assisted living is also helpful for many seniors who are living alone or with a sick wife or husband, as they can become lonely and depressed.
"The social programs and activities offered improve the overall outlook and general happiness of an elderly client," Best said.
Often, she said, assisted living facilities have a more home-like atmosphere. Nursing homes tend to be more institutional with hospital-like rooms.
Best said assisted living is different from a nursing home in many ways - it is usually smaller in size, and only requires that a nurse visit every 45 days, whereas a nursing home must have skilled medical staff on site during every shift.
However, Best said, many assisted living homes, such as hers, have registered nurses on site above state requirements, to enable more people with complex diseases to reside there.
Best said that there are many issues family members must deal with, such as how to handle the high costs, the guilt they may experience when placing their loved ones in a home and trusting others with their loved ones.
Best encourages people to ask a lot of questions when investigating and selecting an assisted living facility, such as how often a registered nurse visits and checks on the residents. She suggested families ask to see the facility's state reviews, a report of the facility's inspection by state regulators.
She also advises people to ask who owns the assisted-living home.
"This type of business needs to be managed individuals in the health-care industry that actually care about delivering high-quality, loving care towards our precious elderly," she said.
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