Preparing for Long Term Senior Care

No aging adult wants to consider the services long term senior care community provides, let alone prepare for a life in which they can’t care for themselves. Likewise, most adult children fear that they will not be able to meet the needs of their aging parents.

There is no question that the decision regarding such a placement is difficult. In many cases, moving into a long-term care facility is seen as permanent. Loved ones feel guilt and frustration from not being able to provide the needed care. These thoughts and feelings have nothing to do with the quality of the facility’s care, but with the loss and grief they experience at this time of change.

However, the long-term care community can help with this very tough time in life’s journey. From admission to discharge, social workers play a vital role in:

  • Promoting social and psychological well-being for long term senior care residents and their families
  • Helping the prospective residents and their families decide whether this is the right place for them
  • Providing resources to assist with financial planning

Supporting Residents Every Day

Once admitted, the social worker supports residents and families every day by:

  • Developing an individualized plan of care by performing a comprehensive social history and psychosocial assessment, (which includes the older adult’s preferences, likes, and dislikes)
  • Helping the resident and family address feelings about the decision to move into a long-term senior care community
  • Work with the resident, their family, and other appropriate staff members to implement the older adult’s care plan

By helping residents adapt to living in their new environment, enabling social functioning though group activities, one-on-one interactions, and mediating issues among residents, families, and staff, social workers have a unique skill base that can be vital when addressing the needs of the resident.

Serving Individual & Diverse Needs

In addition, long term senior care facilities serve individuals with diverse needs, including:

  • Those with recent impairments in daily living due to a surgery
  • Residents with advanced chronic conditions including dementia
  • People who are approaching the end of their lives

Social workers can help ensure appropriateness and continuity of care for transfers and discharges. They also can connect residents and their families with resources and facilitate transitions to other levels of care. Likewise, social workers guide families, residents, and care providers through difficult conversations that help residents, families, and staff, prepare for and cope with loss.

Dealing with the Increasing Demand for Long Term Senior Care

As the population continues to age and live longer, experts predicted that the need for long term care will increase dramatically. As a result, residents and their families researching and comparing long term care facilities should highly consider the qualifications of on-site social workers and the number of residents they care for.

To learn more about the assistance that Bethesda’s team of long term caregivers and social workers can provide, contact us today.

With 133 years of experience, our non-profit has set the bar for quality and compassionate senior living in St. Louis. If you are considering memory care, we encourage you to tour our communities, including Bethesda Dilworth, Bethesda Southgate, and Bethesda Hawthorne Place. With our full spectrum of care, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing, rest assured that all of your care needs will be met by highly-trained nurses and aides.  
Assisted Living Care Management Skilled Nursing
dementia grief long-term care senior care social work social work senior care social workers