Five Valuable Personal Care Services That Assist Seniors Living in Personal Care Communities

According to the National Institute on Aging, over half of seniors 65 and older will need some form of healthcare service in their lifetime. For individuals who need additional assistance with activities of daily living (ADL) such as bathing, eating, dressing, and mobility – personal care communities offer services and amenities to assist with these tasks as well as with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) which include activities that require more complex cognitive and motor skills. Instrumental activities of daily living may include preparing meals, shopping, housework, taking medication and more. Ensuring that your senior loved one is receiving quality care in an environment suited to their needs is important when searching for the right personal care community. Below are five services available to seniors in personal care communities that are invaluable in assisting with the activities of daily living.

Onsite Medical Personnel

Most reputable personal care communities, like Concordia of Wexford, Concordia of Monroeville and other Concordia locations have certified medical staff available to assist residents onsite. Having access to medical personnel that are experienced in aiding seniors with ADLs is invaluable. Additionally, if your loved one requires continuous medical supervision, the benefit to receiving services in a personal care community is that continuous medical care is more accessible and often – requires less out of pocket expense, compared to an individual’s home setting. Furthermore, most personal care communities have Nursing Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses and a rounding physician who are able to meet your loved ones needs at any given time. Although in-home personal care services employ qualified medical personnel, the comprehensive level of care offered through personal care communities is generally more extensive.

Continuum of Services

Personal care communities that are a part of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) have more care options available to residents. In order to be certified as a CCRC, organizations must provide at least three levels of care. Concordia offers residents more than the standard requirements for care including: independent/retirement living, personal care/assisted living, memory support care, skilled nursing care, adult day services, hospice services, respite care and medical equipment. For seniors who currently need personal care services, having a continuum of care options available onsite or in the same care network is valuable if additional assistance would be needed later on.

Access to Essential Medical Equipment

To assist individuals with their ADLs, adaptive equipment  – specifically daily living aids – are forms of medical equipment designed to help with everyday tasks. Adaptive equipment may include:

• Grab aids

• Vision and hearing aids

• Medication dispensers

• Screen readers

• Adaptive cooking equipment/utensils

• Mobility aids

• Memory aids

• Amplified communication equipment and more

In addition to offering quality care options, one feature that is unique to Concordia, is having a medical equipment company for residents and the community to use. Most continuing care retirement communities will not have an in-network medical equipment option for resident purchases.

24-hour Care

One of the most important services available to seniors in personal care communities is having access to around-the-clock care or supervision in addition to community amenities. If your loved one needs consistent medical supervision, access to continuous medical personnel is an invaluable resource. In addition to having available medical personnel, a variety of services and amenities are available to residents in personal care communities 24 hours a day.

Accessible Amenities

Residents of personal care communities have the added benefit of using the community’s onsite resources as well as having access to events and activities. Personal care communities, like those in the Concordia family, offer non-medical care services to residents including:

• Wellness and exercise programs/visits

• Chaplaincy/spiritual care

• Planned daily activities and outings

• Assistance with medical appointments and transportation

• Special events

• Nutritional preparation

• Lifelong learning classes and more

At Concordia’s communities, there are a variety of services available to personal care residents in addition to the ones listed above. For more information about personal care/assisted living services offered at our locations in Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and Tampa, Florida, visit the locations map to find a Concordia campus near you. You can also call our headquarters at any time to learn more information at 724-352-1571 or message us through our online contact form.