1) Determine how much help you/your loved one need(s).
Once you understand the required needs, you can compare them to the help that is already available. Start by making a list of everything your loved one needs assistance with on a monthly, weekly and daily basis. This will give you a clear picture of the right level of care required.
Then you need to really think about how much you, your family and friends can actually help. It is essential that you look at this from a long-term perspective. Your loved one may need ongoing care for years, so a few months of help will likely not be enough.
After looking at both of these lists, you will have a better idea of how much additional help will be required.
2) Evaluate The Pros And Cons
Both assisted living homes and in-home care services offer some great benefits, but both also have disadvantages based on your specific situation. As with any comparison, a simple pro and con analysis can be very helpful.
In-Home Care
| Pros | Cons |
| 1One-on-one care tailored to meet unique preferences and needs. | 1When 24/7 care is required, the costs can be very high. |
| 2Remain in the comfort of their own home with a safe, familiar setting. | 2Managing caregivers and backup care planning requires continued family involvement. |
| 3The opportunity to choose the person who will be providing care. | 3Living in the home can lead to social isolation if there is little presence of family or friends. |
| 4The individual can get service from the same consistent caregiver. | 4The home may need to be modified for wheelchair accessibility or safety precautions. |
| 5Home care can cheaper depending on the skill level required and services can be combined to lower costs. | 5Fewer social activities may take place as opposed to care homes and facilities. |
Assisted Living
| Pros | Cons |
| 1More affordable when 24/7 care is required. | 1Longer wait times to get admitted into an assisted living facility. |
| 2Allows the family to focus more on their relationship with their loved one. | 2Frequent changes to the staff mean one-on-care won’t be as consistent. |
| 3Residents have ample opportunities to socialize with others. | 3The quality of care can differ depending on the various care workers. |
| 4Family will not have to manage, schedule or hire care providers. | 4Residents may get kicked out of their assisted living home with little to no advanced notice. |
| 5The level of care can easily be increased as necessary. | 5Your loved one may simply not enjoy living in a group environment. |
