Curious about retirement living and how to get the best level of senior support and care? This article can help you decide which Alberta senior housing choices offer the most benefits for you or your loved ones. Fortunately, there are more options than ever for seniors, from those who want support in their current home, to seniors no longer able to live alone to those who want to enjoy the choices, freedoms and professional care provided at a premium retirement residence such as Amica. Read on to learn more, plus download our guide to Understanding Senior Living Care Options in Alberta, as well as information about senior care in Ontario and BC.
What is home care?
Whether you opt for private pay home care or qualify for government-funded assistance, home care can provide housekeeping, personal care or medical support for seniors who wish to remain in their own home or apartment. (Find out more about home care in Alberta.) However, accessible services may be limited and seniors can still feel quite alone. A few hours with a support worker or caregiver doesn’t compare to the socialization, dining and entertaining events and activities that retirement living provides.
What are long-term care homes?
Also known as publicly funded senior care or nursing homes, long-term residential care facilities offer 24-hour supervision for seniors assessed by Alberta Health Services as being too frail to look after themselves due to complex medical conditions. While most care is paid for by the Alberta government, seniors pay a set rental rate for accommodation, as well as for any additional service requests outside of the care plan. (Find out more about long term care in Alberta.) Typically budgets are tight and residents are in poor health with mobility challenges at long term care homes, so activities and amenities are minimal.
What is a private retirement home or residence?
Many seniors want more than just nursing care and housing — they’re also looking for inspiring surroundings, personalized support and enriching activities with like-minded people so they can enjoy a happy retirement. So they opt for a private pay senior living residence with care, which feels more like a home than a hospital. Private retirement homes like Amica Senior Lifestyles are bound by the same regulations as publicly funded facilities, however they are not funded by the government. Private retirement establishments in Alberta may be called a seniors’ residence, a senior living community, a retirement home, a retirement community or retirement living.
Retirement living care services and costs
Ask about the clinical care available at any retirement residence you visit, as Amica offers a higher level than most. At Amica, seniors can access 24-hour nursing and personal care, which residents pay for, if needed, in addition to the cost of meals, housekeeping, amenities, recreational activities and social events. Some retirement homes, such as Amica, also offer specialized dementia care. Download our guide to Understanding Senior Living Care Options in Alberta for even more details about the Amica difference.
Retirement living costs can range widely depending on your care needs, the location you’d like and the suite size that you’re considering. Try filling out our senior living budgeting tool.
The Amica advantage
Alberta seniors choose Amica when they wish to have a higher level of personalized care for Independent and Supportive Living — known as Assisted Living at Amica. This includes better staffing and safety measures, exceptional cuisine, social programs, social and family connections and great amenities like movie theatres or fitness centres. Unlike other retirement homes, many Amica residences provide a full spectrum of care under one roof, including Memory Care for seniors with dementia and end-of-life care, so you don’t have to move to a long-term care home if your health changes. Amica residents also appreciate their condo-style private suites and townhomes — available for singles or couples — as well as the concierge, happy hour and rewarding excursions tailored to the interests of seniors.
We can’t wait to show you what life is like at Amica. Book a tour of our inspiring Amica Aspen Woods and Britannia residences in Calgary, or consider residences in Ontario and British Columbia.
