Unfortunately, residents of assisted living facilities, according to CDC, are more vulnerable to certain new medical conditions compared to patients or seniors who choose to stay at home with one-on-one once or twice a week professional care.
Some of the Alarming New Medical Conditions among Assisted Living Residents Include…
About 40% of new Assisted Living residents suffer from short-term memory issues. They become disoriented and confused about where they are and why they are there. A report published by the US National Library of Medicine states that memory problems are mainly caused by a sudden loss of independence and multiple new persons in their daily lives. Residents can’t remember names of staff, doctors, appointments, daily activities, and schedules. They become scared and frustrated although family members and staff may attribute this memory loss to aging.
Approximately 42% of Assisted Living residents develop some form of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease mainly because of the lack of person-centered care. The staff at these types of facilities tend to be overworked and tired. If there are too many residents to take care of, often the best the staff can do is the minimal personal care. Also, because the facility is often understaffed, there is lack of comprehensive assessment and medical care strategies.
In a separate report by the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, Assisted Living residents suffer from sleep problems and depression. The report states that 28% are fighting depression because of lack of in-depth mental care and lack of physical activities. In fact, many residents are left in their rooms “to rest” which can mean they oversleep and can’t complete a full night’s sleep.
Incontinence is another major problem in these facilities. Two main reasons for the incontinence is the inability to go to the bathroom on their own and lack of products to prevent incontinence. According to the CDC, 70% of residents in 30 assisted living facilities suffer from urinary incontinence at least for a week.
Comparing assisted living facilities to home care with an RN, you have a higher chance of catching any medical conditions immediately because of the one-on-one personal care and attention. Fortunately, it does not have to be expensive since you can request a once-a-week RN visit or even three times a week – whatever your budget allows. It is still far better than minimal attention.