Searching for the right senior living community for your loved one can be difficult, especially if you’ve suddenly found yourself in the position to make the decision or if you’re just starting your search. There are a lot of terms thrown around for each type of care or service offered at different communities, and they can get confusing. But there’s one term you’ve probably come across a few times that tends to be more confusing than others: Personal Care.
What is a Personal Care Home?
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Personal Care Homes are “residences that provide shelter, meals, supervision and assistance with personal care tasks, typically for older people… who are unable to care for themselves but do not need nursing home or medical care.”
That’s great, but what does it really mean? Breaking it down, it means personal care homes can help your loved one with everyday tasks like eating, moving around, bathing, other personal hygiene related activities, and more. However, a personal care home cannot provide acute or prolonged medical care. But despite not providing medical care, personal care homes can help your loved one manage their health care. That means assistance with setting up and maintaining doctor’s appointments, taking already prescribed medication, or operating prosthetics. Personal Care Homes at Presbyterian Senior Living also have 24-hour supervision by licensed nursing staff.
Assisted Living and Personal Care in PA
A point of confusion for some people is the difference between Personal Care and Assisted Living in Pennsylvania. Before 2011 there was essentially no difference between the two terms regarding the type of care your loved one would receive. Many senior living communities used the term Assisted Living. Legislation was introduced to separate the two terms and give each one their own defined parameters and licensing.
Assisted living still provides similar care to what someone would receive with personal care, but it also has the ability to care for people who require more intensive medical attention for a longer period of time. Since personal care can’t provide acute medical care, assisted living was created to bridge the services gap. Because the legislation is still relatively new, you will likely find far more Personal Care than Assisted Living communities.
Is Personal Care Right for You?
Personal care can be a source of amazing care and benefits for seniors, but it’s not always the best choice for your loved one. It’s important to understand that no two situations are alike. That’s why we’ve provided the following 12 signs to help determine if personal care is the right choice for your loved one. If you or your loved one is showing any of these signs, you may want to consider personal care:
- Recent accidents or close calls.
- Stagnant recovery.
- Worsening health conditions.
- Needing assistance with daily activities.
- Weight loss.
- Change in social relationships.
- Clutterness, or an unkempt home.
- Careless driving.
- Stale, expired, or too much food in the house.
- Unattended plants and household pets.
- The emotional state of your loved one.
- Inability for you (the caregiver) to manage care?
For more info on these 12 signs, click here.
Finding the Right Community
Finding the right personal care community for your loved one is the tough part. There are so many personal care communities in Pennsylvania that you might not know where to start. A good first step to narrow down your choices is to ensure the communities you’re considering are licensed. Other factors to keep in mind are size, services offered, and location. The good news is Presbyterian Senior Living’s personal care communities are a perfect fit for all these criteria. Take a look at all our communities in PA (and even Maryland and Delaware) with personal care to find the best fit for your loved one.
| Presbyterian Senior Living Communities with Personal Care/Assisted Living |
|
| Location | Community |
| Allentown, PA | Westminster Village in Allentown |
| Bethlehem, PA | Kirkland Village |
| Dover, DE | Westminster Village in Dover |
| Easton, PA | The Easton Home |
| Glen Arm, MD | Glen Meadows Retirement Community |
| Hollidaysburg, PA | Presbyterian Village at Hollidaysburg |
| Huntingdon, PA | Westminster Woods at Huntingdon |
| Indiana, PA | St. Andrews Village |
| Lancaster, PA | The Long Community at Highland |
| Newville, PA | Green Ridge Village |
| Oxford ,PA | Ware Presbyterian Village |
| Philadelphia, PA | Cathedral Village |
| Philipsburg, PA | Windy Hill Village |
| Waynesboro, PA | Quincy Village |
| Williamsport, PA | Presbyterian Home at Williamsport |
You can click on any of the links to the community to learn more. You can also give the community a call or contact them online through their website to get a better understanding of what each community offers.
When visiting each community, be sure to take our free Senior Community Evaluation Checklist along to help you keep track of what you like. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to make an educated decision on the right senior living community for you or your loved one. Download it below!
