There are assisted living communities equipped for high acuity care. These communities offer the luxuries and comforts of home combined with attention from professional medical staff.
Oftentimes, the type of care we seek for a senior loved one involves both the comfort and security of a home environment, paired with expert medical care and rehabilitation services. So is there somewhere that offers all of this?
Learn more about this type of care in an assisted living setting and what these communities can offer to your loved one as their health needs change throughout their life.
What is High Acuity Care?
Medical professionals use acuity levels to accurately staff a person’s care plan and treatments at an assisted living community. Those who require high acuity care may have challenging medical conditions that require frequent observation and support from staff.
To best support those with challenging medical conditions, the staff must be able to provide prompt, professional, compassionate, and knowledgeable care.
Assisted living communities that provide high acuity care embody all aspects of care required in a skilled nursing facility, but they do it in a senior living environment. Since each community defines acuity levels differently, assisted living medical professionals must determine the levels of care for each new resident individually, and assign and execute care based on individual factors.
Evaluating the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Understanding the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) helps determine the type of care your loved one might need. The six basic ADLs include the ability to:
- Feed oneself
- Bathe, groom, and brush teeth
- Dress and undress
- Stand, sit, and walk
- Control bowel and bladder functions
- Use the toilet
ADLs affect a person’s quality of life and their ability to safely prepare meals, perform house and yard work, drive, or take medication.
Evaluating your loved one and discussing changes you notice to them and their doctor can help you all determine the best course of action regarding in-home or assisted living care options.
How High Acuity Care Accommodates Varying Health Needs
Each assisted living community team will address and define high acuity care in their own way, which is why it’s important to tour a community and ask a lot of questions about the types of care and services available to your loved one.
For example, The Kensington Reston offers an on-site physician office, primary care manager program, and full-time registered nurses to coordinate care. Nurses are on-site 24 hours a day.
Personal care tailored to your loved one’s unique situation
Care plans in communities offering high acuity care can vary from a few health needs and services to more extensive care requirements, including memory care and rehabilitation services for those with Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease, or multiple sclerosis.
At The Kensington Reston, each resident entering assisted living is provided with a personal care manager who will work with them to determine the support they need. The care managers build relationships with each resident based on trust and respect.
‘Aging in Place’ in Assisted Living
The goal for assisted living communities designed to accommodate both independent residents and those requiring acute care is to provide consistent attention. Through loving, compassionate attention to each resident, care managers can carefully determine the appropriate level of support needed.
In this type of environment, your loved one can truly “age in place” in a community where their needs will be expertly matched at every phase of life. Comfortable, cozy living spaces combined with excellent dining services and a packed calendar of events and activities keep residents busy and fulfilled.
Requiring high acuity care doesn’t have to mean sterile hospital environments with a flurry of doctors and nurses. In an assisted living community that offers high acuity care, your loved one can receive enhanced Alzheimer’s or dementia care, or speech or physical therapy programs, alongside fulfilling activities and loving, dedicated staff.
What a Strong Memory Care Community Can Do for Your Family
Family members often choose to serve as a caregiver for their aging loved ones. While this may be sustainable when they are more independent, if they begin to require higher levels of care, it can quickly take a physical, emotional, and financial toll. It may also become increasingly difficult to properly manage their changing health needs as they age.
Couples who also experience varying levels of care may enter caregiver roles that result in anxiety and guilt. Families and couples have options: Assisted living communities that offer specialized care, including enhanced memory care, provide a way to ensure safety and security while preserving special family bonds and relationships.
At The Kensington Reston, our team knows that there are still many beautiful moments ahead for families and their loved ones struggling with aging and memory loss. Our goal is to help families make the most of those moments while providing an enriching and peaceful home for your senior loved one.
Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own. Call us today to learn more about our team and all the ways we can support your loved one and family.