What Is Long-Term Care?

Long-term senior care provides services designed to meet a person’s health or personal care needs. The services depend on the individual’s needs and range from activities of daily living, community services, or ongoing attentive care for serious health problems. Ultimately, long-term care helps people live as independently and safely as possible. 

If you have a loved one who needs assistance, you likely have questions about long-term care options. Read on to learn about the most common types of long-term care services, who the services are intended for, and the qualities to look for when researching long-term care communities.

What Services Are Considered Long-Term Care?

Long-term senior care is around-the-clock nursing care and a necessary service for many older adults. According to the Administration for Community Living, someone turning 65 has almost a 70 percent chance of needing long-term services in their remaining years.

Some providers call this level of care “skilled nursing.” It encompasses a broad range of services, including:

• Assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
• Community services, such as transportation and meal preparation.
• General, attentive care for those who have ongoing health conditions or disabilities.

The most common reason a person moves into a long-term care environment is based on their doctor’s recommendation. In most cases, a doctor or medical team will refer them to a long-term care clinical team. At-home services may also be an option, but community-based care is often a more affordable choice than 24/7 in-home healthcare.

Community Care Options

Long-term care environments are often part of communities that offer full continuums of care, including independent living, assisted living, and other levels.

Long-term care residents are provided with around-the-clock care. Depending on individual needs, services include assistance with day-to-day activities, personal care, medication administration, therapies, and rehabilitation. 

A long-term residential environment is right for:

• Those who can no longer easily perform everyday activities.
• Those who experienced a sudden health event, such as a heart attack or stroke, and require ongoing care.
• Those who develop an illness or disability that progresses over time, including cognitive impairment.

A community environment might not be the best option for your loved one. If this is the case, other options are available.

At-Home and Adult Day Services

If your loved one is not ready for residential care but still needs support, consider the following options:

• At-Home services make life easier by providing healthcare or non-medical assistance through light housekeeping, meal preparation, help with medications, or anything else the client needs.
• Adult Day services ensure individuals who need assistance and involvement during the day receive support in a safe environment while caregivers are at work or tending to other obligations.

Providing at-home, around-the-clock nursing care to a family member is not impossible, but it often does not offer the same care quality found in a residential setting and can lead to caregiver burnout.

Long-Term Senior Care at WesleyLife

When people think of long-term care, they often mistake it for care in a nursing home. In a WesleyLife Community for Healthy Living, long-term care isn’t just a bed in a cramped, clinical room — it’s a vibrant environment in which your loved one is treated like family by a team of medical professionals and skilled caregivers.

Residents experience:

• Person-directed care that engages with mind, body, and spirit.
• Family involvement that keeps their spirits up and minds engaged.
• Clinical excellence illustrated by top-of-the-line equipment and a commitment to caring for and connecting with residents.
• Amenities and services to ensure comfort and attention to what matters most.

We understand that care should be personalized to the resident. That’s why we provide regular wellness assessments and personalized plans for each resident in long-term care.

Find Home at a WesleyLife Community for Healthy Living

As you explore long-term senior care options for your loved one, you want to know that the community not only provides the care they need, but also a warm, homelike environment.

In WesleyLife Communities for Healthy Living, our caregivers and medical professionals understand that living a healthy life goes beyond simply caring for the body. It’s about finding joy in passions, conversations, and the activities of day-to-day life. 

Explore one of our many communities offering long-term care options to learn how WesleyLife can feel like home.