When the decision has been made to make the transition from the home into a senior living community, it’s often difficult to figure out where the best fit will be. There are a variety of classifications in the senior living industry such as senior apartments, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing facility, and nursing homes. In this blog, we will be primarily focusing on two in particular – Assisted Living and Independent Living. Let’s dive into what the differences are between them and how The Wellington Senior Living fits into the equation!

Medical Care

The primary difference between the two senior living communities is that assisted living provides some medical care to residents and independent living does not . While independent living communities do offer peace of mind to individuals who are uncomfortable living alone, they do not include care from nurses. Once an individual is unable to tend to basic needs such as eating, bathing or administering medications, they are typically encouraged to transition into an assisted living community.

Assisted living communities are designed to give seniors who are unable to live alone some medical support. Think of these communities as a happy medium between independent living and intensive nursing care. Typical areas of care include monitoring of medication, personal care, 24-hour emergency care, and some medical services.

Amenities

Remove the meals, transportation, housekeeping and laundry services and independent living communities are basically age-restricted senior apartments. One of the most common reasons for seniors moving into an independent living community is to remove the hassle and stress of at-home living. Many of the common stresses of living in a house (i.e. lawn upkeep, cleaning, meal preparation and laundry) are removed, leaving more time to do the things many seniors dream of in their retirement years.

While these amenities are also offered at assisted living communities, there is a greater focus on health care. Along with nursing services, many assisted living communities offer help with day-to-day tasks like grocery shopping, bathing/grooming and remembering medications. Unlike many independent living communities, assisted living companies often offer a continuum of care. This means that once a resident requires more care than assisted living communities can provide, they are able to move to a more intense form of senior care within the same facility.

Price

When it comes to price, these two communities differ greatly. Typically, the monthly cost at a independent living community includes rent and a variety of non-medical services like meals and transportation. While assisted living communities also offer these same amenities, the cost is significantly higher than independent living communities due to the medical care provided.

According to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey in 2017, the median cost for assisted living communities in Nebraska was $3,785 per month. This is compared to the monthly average cost for independent living communities in 2015, which was $2,281 according to seniorhomes.com. This large gap in price is just another reason why it’s important to properly identify which type of care is needed for you or your loved one.

The Wellington Difference

Similar to independent living communities, The Wellington offers home-cooked meals, transportation and other lifestyle options, without the nursing or medical care. But, instead of requiring seniors to pay for these events and meals, we offer a unique service that many independent living communities do not – “a la carte” pricing. This idea of “a la carte” pricing means that residents can pick and choose which services they want to add to their base rent pricing. For example, a resident who loves to cook but hates to clean their apartment would have the option to save money by cooking their own meals while also utilizing our housekeeping staff. This flexibility allows seniors to be able to save money, instead of paying for unneeded services like they would at an ordinary independent living community. For more information regarding our unique “a la carte” pricing, head to the pricing tab!

Often times, we have residents who are so attached to the lifestyle and friends they’ve made at The Wellington, yet they need a little extra care. No need to worry! We have plenty of home health care companies in the area to choose from in case they need a little more!

At The Wellington Senior Living, we truly care about the health and well-being of our residents. With over 33 years of experience in the industry, we’ve helped countless seniors navigate the stages of their retirement years. If you or a loved one are unsure of which stage of care is needed or would like some more information about The Wellington, we are more than happy to guide you through the process!