The aging of America together with extended life expectancy is resulting in an unprecedented demand for long-term care housing and services.

Today numerous possibilities are available to our aging population that fall between Home Care and going to a Nursing Home due to the demands for alternative lifestyles that are conducive to meeting the needs and personal preferences of "senior citizens" throughout the aging process.

Meeting personal needs such as comfort, security, social opportunities, and health care persuades many seniors to opt for relocating versus aging at home. The move to assisted living as the long-term care option of choice is becoming increasingly more common.

In general, long-term care housing options fall into four main categories based upon the level of care and types of services provided: Independent Living Communities / Retirement Communities, Assisted Living Facilities, Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Skilled Care / Nursing Homes.

Although several combinations of the different care options exist today (ie: Companies offering Home Care combined with Assisted Living), for simplicity, our focus is upon what we believe are the most common and basic types of Long-Term Care options available. We hope the information contained in this section will serve to expand your knowledge and understanding of the basic forms of senior retirement and care options available today.

Although moving to a care facility is often the only practical solution, many prefer to age at home for as long as possible. Our Home Care section is devoted entirely to understanding the advantages and limitations of this popular option. In fact, we have devoted an entirely new site to this subject which was developed in an effort to further assist families and providers in exploring this increasingly complex subject; HomeCareFiles.org.

Try stepping through our Needs Assessment and we will be able to suggest care options based upon your individual situation.

Related articles by CarePathways.com RNs:

Monitoring Care in Nursing Home
Choosing the Right Assisted Living Facility
When Is It Time to Move Your Loved One to a Care Facility
Tips for Cutting Costs of Assisted Living
What Does Assisted Living Really Cost?
Senior Care Facility Tour: A Quick Screening Quiz
Money and Time Saving Strategies for Caregivers - Part III
Money and Time Saving Strategies for Caregivers - Part II
Money and Time Saving Strategies for Caregivers - Part I