What are Elderly Care Facilities?

Elderly care or simply eldercare is the fulfillment of the special needs and requirements that are unique to senior citizens. This broad term encompasses such services as assisted living, adult day care, long term care, nursing homes, hospice care, and In-Home care.

In most western countries, elder care facilities are freestanding assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). In the United States, most of the large multi-facility providers are publicly owned and managed as for-profit businesses. In Canada, such privately-run for-profit facilities also exist, but they must compete with government-funded public facilities run by each province's or territory's Ministry of Health. In these care homes, elderly Canadians pay for their care on a sliding scale based on annual income. Given the choice, most elders would prefer to continue to live in their own homes but, unfortunately the majority of elderly people gradually lose functioning ability and require either additional assistance in the home or a move to an eldercare facility. The adult children of these elders often face a difficult challenge in helping their parents make the right choices.

A distinction is generally made between medical and non-medical care, and the latter is much less likely to be covered by insurance or public funds. In the US, 86% of the one million or so residents in assisted living facilities pay for care out of their own funds. The rest get help from family and friends and from state agencies. Medicare does not pay unless skilled-nursing care is needed and given in certified skilled nursing facilities or by a skilled nursing agency in the home. Assisted living facilities usually do not meet Medicare's requirements. However, Medicare does pay for some skilled care if the elderly person meets the requirements for the Medicare home health benefit.

Thirty-two U.S. states pay for care in assisted living facilities through their Medicaid waiver/diversion programs. Similarly, in the United Kingdom the National Health Service provides medical care for the elderly, as for all, free at the point of use, but social care is only paid for by the state in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland are yet to introduce any legislation on the matter so currently social care is only funded by public authorities when a person has exhausted their private resources, for example by selling their home.

Elderly care is focused on satisfying the expectations of two tiers of customers: the resident customer and the purchasing customer, who are often not identical, since relatives or public authorities rather than the resident may be providing the cost of care. Where residents are confused or have communication difficulties, it may be very difficult for relatives or other concerned parties to be sure of the standard of care being given. Elderly care emphasizes the social and personal requirements of senior citizens who need some assistance with daily activities and health care, but who desire to age with dignity.

There are other senior housing options for elderly people with a higher level of independence such as independent living communities, retirement homes, retirement communities, 55+ senior and retirement communities. They may hold different names in countries all over the world, but they all serve the elderly that are able to live independently, don't want to live alone and are looking for accommodations with entertainment amenities such as golf courses, swimming pools, club houses, senior centers, etc.