Live-in care services is chosen by families who want the peace of mind of having a caregiver with their loved one around the clock. If you are concerned for your love one when they are left alone, and their care needs are complex, live-in care services may be for you.
Live-in care services is a popular services for those who have complex care needs, but want to stay in their own home. Having multiple health challenges that affect mobility and independence often comes with the need to have personal support. Decreased mobility and problems getting around the house may hinder your ability to make meals, do housework, and laundry. Diabetes, dementia, Parkinson’s, and being at risk for falls will also necessitate having a personal support worker (PSW) attending to you. When heavy care is needed, combined with around the clock supervision, there are three main options:
- Residential care in a long term care home
- An assisted living floor in a retirement community
- Live-in care services at home through home care
Long term care homes, nursing homes
Residential care for people with heavy care needs usually involves seniors moving to a long term care home (also called a nursing home). While it is true that long term care homes in Ontario supply around the clock supervision, there is possibly only an hour of care delivered to each resident every day. This care may be delivered in three 20 minute segments (morning, afternoon, and night). Medications will be delivered by staff nurses, and PSWs will deliver the 20-minute segments of personal care (bathing dressing). Therefore, although your loved one would have the safety net of the supervision of staff, not a lot of care is delivered, and it can be a lonely place. Many people who go into long term care homes still need additional care from a private home care services agency, whether it is for company and companionship, or for additional personal care attention.
These communities are typically safe and secure, meals are provided, and there is no home maintenance to worry about. More information about long term care homes in Ontario can be found on an earlier blog post.
Costs of long term care in Ontario
Long term care in Ontario is heavily subsidized by the provincial government, and usually ranges from $1,900 to $2,400 per month. If additional PSW hours are needed, a private senior home care company will also have to be paid. The rate for PSW care is usually $25-30 per hour, therefore 6 hours of care per day to supply companionship, accompanying to activities, getting out, and eating assistance can add $5,000 to monthly care costs.
Retirement homes and assisted living facilities
People generally enter into a retirement community when they are still well and fairly independent. Just about all retirement communities, however, allow you to age in place and will allow you to stay regardless of the illness and health challenges ahead. There may be an assisted living floor in the retirement community, and people can move to that floor if their care needs increase. For heavy care needs, a private home health care company will often be hired to add the needed hours of care.
Costs of retirement communities in Toronto and North York
Retirement homes in Toronto and North York are often beautiful, with good food, and excellent service. One-bedroom accommodation usually begins at $3,500 per month, and assisted living accommodation can start at $4,500 per month. Double rooms usually start at $6,000 per month. Additional PSW hours to accommodate care needs will be extra and may range from $2000 to $10,000 per month. Some of the noteworthy retirement homes in Toronto and North York are the Del Manor Northtown and the Bradgate Arms.
Live-in care services with a home care agency
The two main differences of live-in care services compared with retirement homes and long term care facilities is:
- One-on-one care
- You get to stay in your own home
As opposed to long term care or a retirement community, home care live-in care services gives you one-one-one care for about 14 hours per day. With live-in care services, the caregiver in your home has the expectation of sleeping for 8 hours per night, but the rest of the time the caregiver is devoted to the care of your loved one. With one caregiver looking after only one other person, there is no waiting to go to the bathroom, or to get an incontinence brief changed, because the caregiver is ready and free to complete the task when it is needed.
Staying in the comfort of our own home during our elderly years is one of the deepest desires we have. Aging or enduring illness in familiar surroundings, with familiar neighbours and community is what a lot of people want. Live-in care services allows your loved one to be home, with a one-on-one caregiver.
Costs of live-in care services
The cost of live-in care services for full-time every day of the month care is roughly $8,500 per month. With this comes dedicated one-on-one caregivers, and the benefit of living at home for as long as they wish. Retire-At-Home Services offers live-in care services to help seniors and their families improve the quality of their daily lives.
Live-in care services compared to residential care: conclusion
When health issues become complex and mobility problems or dementia develops, personal care is needed. When heavy personal care is required, people may choose to live in a long term care facility, assisted living floors of retirement communities, or stay at home with personal support help. When many hours of personal support is needed, it will have to be delivered regardless of where a loved one is living. When comparing costs of heavy care at home or in a facility, live-in care services at home can be cheaper than retirement community living, and have the benefit of living in the home you love.
Retire-At-Home Services Toronto and North York provides live-in care services. Call us or fill in the enquiry form on the right-hand side of the page to enquire about your live-in care services options.
