Caring for the elderly is both a responsibility and an honour. However, sometimes, providing senior citizens with the care they require becomes exceedingly difficult, especially when they require assistance with everyday activities. In such cases, families may think of a solution in a long-term senior care facility. Though there are many options, they can be broadly classified as assisted living facilities, nursing homes, retirement communities, and in-home care services.

In India, we often hear the term ‘old-age homes’, though this is not a specific category in the senior care continuum. An old age home or old people’s home in this context may refer to either a retirement home or nursing home that has multi-residence facility run by an institution, trust or a group. Most commonly, an old age home is a charity-based institution offering free accommodation to destitute seniors.

Here is a snapshot of the 4 main senior care options in India.

Why pick an assisted living facility?

Access to round-the-clock personal assistance

At an assisted living facility, your loved one is assured of help with self-care. For instance, in:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Grooming
• Toileting

Here, trained non-medical staff support seniors in their daily activities, while also preserving their dignity, freedom of choice and independence. Moreover, tasks like tidying up the room and doing the laundry are all taken care of!

Safe environment that’s just like home

Assisted living facilities provide senior citizens with a homely premises, designed to increase mobility, comfort and safety. All this is possible because the premises are equipped with amenities such as:

• Grab bars
• Skid-free flooring
• Elevator access
• Wheelchair-accessible doorways and hallways

While an assisted living facility is better equipped than a retirement community or a regular home, it avoids the hospital-like setting that can be associated with a nursing home.

Medical and emergency services at your fingertips

Assisted living services include wellness and exercise programs, overseen by doctors, physiotherapists, dieticians, and psychologists. Moreover, caregivers monitor health parameters such as:

• blood pressure
• sugar levels
• body temperature
• nutrition intake

The caregivers at these facilities also ensure that the elderly residents take their medicines on time. In addition to medication management your loved ones are assured of emergency services, like a 24/7 doctor on call and transport to the nearest hospital.

Nutritious food served at every meal

Residents of an assisted living facility benefit from the services of a dedicated kitchen and this guarantees healthy meals fit for the elderly, and variety too! For instance, at Kshetra, the residents are served Indian meals, snacks, fruits, beverages and even desserts. Moreover, the resident’s diet is tailored as per individual requirements and/or advice from a doctor or a nutritionist.

Ample socialization to bust isolation

When confined to a home there is the danger of isolation and loneliness. This can be detrimental to the elderly person's mental and psychological wellbeing. Assisted living facilities break the social barrier by organising group activities, such as exercises and singing as well as through personal attention from the caregiver. Such group activities are not always possible in in-home setups and in case of nursing homes, only the spouse who is sick is granted stay.

Moreover, Kshetra encourages social gatherings through a Senior’s Club. Here, residents and like-minded seniors can interact through spiritual, social, and recreational activities organized once a month.

Numerous stay options with budget-friendly assistance

Assisted living facilities are economical because one pays for housing and personal care needs, but avoids the cost of skilled nurses and professional doctors as in a nursing home. This option also eliminates the hassles of paying a hired caregiver by the hour or hiring a caregiver yourself, and providing facilities to him/her. What’s more, assisted living facilities like Kshetra offer numerous stay options apart from long-term residential care for seniors. You can choose Day Care service or the Respite Care program to drop off your loved ones for a few hours or days while you take care of important tasks or travel. This offers convenience, making it an ideal choice.

Alzheimer’s and dementia care with mentally-productive activities

Assisted living facilities like Kshetra, though not nursing homes, offer care for the elderly who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s. Since there is no cure for these degenerative diseases, residents aren’t given Alzheimer’s treatment or dementia treatment as such. Instead, the approach is of managing symptoms with help from a psychologist, improving the resident’s quality of life through activities such as games, singing and music sessions, and keeping his/her mind working through cognitive activities like puzzles, colouring and art and craft.

Why choose Kshetra?

Kshetra provides ISO-certified assisted living facilities in Hyderabad, offering quality, 24/7 elderly support in a way that does not undermine the independence, dignity, and freedom of the elderly. These living facilities differ from old age home services and family members are actively involved in the residential’s wellbeing and are updated regularly. In addition to providing a pollution-free, quiet neighbourhood, ample sunlight and ventilation, here you will experience the best of elder care services in Hyderabad, including skid-free flooring, emergency call buttons, doctor visits and more.

At Kshetra, seniors get the help they need without compromising on the comfort of home. This is one reason why Kshetra’s services are a favourite among NRIs who seek a home away from home for their parents when they are abroad. So, whether it’s a weeks’ stay or a long-term solution, an assisted living facility promises tailored all-round care and is an option definitely worth exploring! Contact us to know more.