Your Best Assisted Living Care in Albuquerque

Overview

Every single elderly person needs support with different things.

Assisted living provides seniors assistance with their daily activities, such as toileting, bathing, dressing, and grooming as well as personal care so that they can live as independently as possible. It is neither a setting where residents need round-the-clock medical care nor a nursing home, but rather a type of care for the elderly that is provided in a long-term residential facility.

Assisted living facilities in the USA offer amenities and enriching activities to ensure that the needs of the residents are met, convenient services, and comforts in a setting they can call home; however, this type of care does not include medical services, such as dressing wounds or managing catheters.

When should an elderly loved one be under assisted living?

If an elderly loved one is beginning to need help with basic daily activities, like bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, toileting, walking, and managing medications, they may need the care of an on-site staff from a good and trusted assisted living community. However, it may not be the right choice for seniors who have serious medical conditions that need specialized care. But there are some assisted living communities with specialized wings that also offer skilled nursing or Alzheimer’s care.

Assisted living facilities

Senior assisted living communities today, which are oftentimes less expensive compared with in-home care or skilled nursing facilities, offer various services and amenities to their residents. Most of them have a full, round-the-clock staff skilled to help seniors with various daily activities, from bathing and eating to toileting, medication management, and help with incontinence. Many assisted living centers in the USA also offer dedicated care for seniors who have dementia.

Moreover, most assisted living facilities also offer scheduled transportation, three meals plus snacks every day, housekeeping, and a host of organized health activities and events. Many communities also feature on-site amenities including pets, libraries, swimming pools, beauty salons, pharmacies, gyms, and common areas for socializing.

Assisted living goes by different names in different places of the country; the licensing requirements also vary.

Types of care provided in assisted living

Assisted living communities are not nationally regulated; thus, the exact services and standards delivered vary from state to state. That is, some states do not require training for their assisted living staff members, while others require them to undergo more than 24 hours of training.

But still, the vast majority of assisted living communities across the USA provide standard services to their residents, which include personal care services in the form of assistance with the residents’ daily living activities (such as eating, dressing, grooming, bathing, toileting, walking, and medication management).

Other than the personal care services, every assisted living community across the USA also provides other services such as scheduled transportation, housekeeping, cleaning services, and meals.

But it’s also important to check with the community staff if there’s any additional fees for the said services.

Services and amenities provided in assisted living

Many assisted living communities today provide a wide range of amenities to ensure residents’ comfort. Some services and amenities provided in assisted living in different communities vary: some offer more basic amenities covering essentials while other facilities can resemble a high-end resort.

But the best thing to do before making any decisions about moving in is to tour the facility first to get a firsthand glimpse of the amenities available and consider how they may affect the resident’s quality of life.

To allow the staff to determine the level of care needed by the resident, an initial assessment at the community is necessary. Typically, the staff conduct regular follow-up assessments and, as needed, will make adjustments to a resident’s level of care.

Other than that, when it comes to the amenities and services available, every community is different.

Shown below are some common amenities found in assisted living communities.

Service or Amenity	Description
Controlled access (security system)	This includes a sign-in system at the front desk for visitors and/or a secured gate that requires permission to enter the community.
Emergency call system (wireless alert systems)	This allows assisted living residents to call for help with the push of a button from their rooms.
Nursing staff	Either on-site or on-call licensed nursing staff for an assisted living facility who can provide medical care for residents such as placing catheters or IVs.
Concierge service	Front desk staff members who can answer residents’ inquiries and calls.
Transportation	Scheduled transportation via community car or shuttle provided for the residents to attend medical appointments or for trips to nearby restaurants, parks, shops, or other community-organized outings.
Social activities and events	Community activities prepared by the facility’s staff members include games, classes, social events such as regular clubs, parties or happy hours, cultural or artistic performances, community volunteer programs.
Salon/barbershop	On-site hair and beauty salon that includes services such as facial hair grooming or manicures, haircuts, perms, and in some cases massages.
Gym/fitness room	An on-site space with exercise equipment where residents can exercise or attend fitness classes led by an instructor. Other communities also include a swimming pool, hot tub, and/or sauna.
Wellness program	A program specifically designed to enhance a resident’s physical fitness, nutrition, and overall health and wellbeing.
Outdoor common areas	A communal space where residents can enjoy the outdoors while staying on the community property.
Computer room	A room in the facility that has computers and printers for residents to use.
Wi-fi	Wireless internet access provided for the residents and visitors on facility grounds.
Laundry and linen services	Washing and drying of laundry and bed linens for residents which often operate on schedules that include regular laundry pick-ups and drop-offs to residents’ apartments.

Things to look for in assisted living

Memory care

Some assisted living communities now also offer memory care intended for residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. The memory care unit is usually in a separate building on the property or in its own wing.

Community culture

Every community has its own unique culture which can make all the difference for potential residents who are choosing between various facilities. Some parts of their culture are more tangible, like the decoration or whether there is enough space for residents to socialize.

Seniors Playing Chess

But others, like the cultural diversity and ethnic of its residents, are less explained in an online description.

Most assisted living facilities today are precisely designed with various types of seniors in mind—from those that speak a particular language to golf enthusiasts or even LGBT seniors.

Pets

Pets have a lot of benefits to offer for adults of all ages; they can be like family. Thus, the majority of the assisted living communities today house these animal companions. Some communities allow residents to bring their own small pet such as a small dog or a cat. Larger breeds are not allowed in some pet-friendly facilities so it’s very important to talk specifics when considering various communities. But some communities may not allow the residents to bring their pets; either visiting therapy animals or community pet adoption is only allowed.

Comparison between assisted living and other senior living options

Most older adults will need some type of senior care at some point in their later years. Although most seniors would opt to stay in their own home, the realities of health issues or lack of family members to help out throughout the day and night make that option unmanageable. Thus, assisted living provides residential care for seniors who do not need skilled nursing care.

The following are some important differences between the different key types of senior care available today and assisted living.

Assisted living communities and nursing homes

Assisted living communities and nursing homes are different, although people would often confuse these two senior care options.

Assisted living communities provide personal care and assistance with daily living activities for residents who need help but do not require skilled nursing care. Nursing homes, on the other hand, provide medical support and round-the-clock skilled care; thus, it is a good fit for seniors needing a feeding tube.

Moreover, assisted living communities offer a lot of social activities and outings for their residents. Compared with nursing homes, they have a more communal and less institutional feel.

Nursing home care is more expensive (twice the cost of assisted living).

Assisted living and memory care

Memory care is a specialized form of care for seniors who have Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The demand for memory care is rising along with the surging senior population in the USA.

Many assisted living communities now also offer memory care on top of the assisted living care they offer to residents with dementia.

Assisted living and memory care differ in a way that the latter is specialized for those with dementia, while the former is not. The former does not require its staff to undergo training to provide care to residents with dementia, while the latter requires their staff to undergo the said training.

Everything in the memory care facilities is typically designed for residents with dementia. Memory care also comes with a higher price. Its average monthly cost in the USA is $5,000, while assisted living only costs $3,750.

Assisted living and in-home care

In-home care takes place in an individual home, while assisted living care takes place in a residential facility.

The type of assistance provided by these two living options usually overlap, and include personal care and assistance with daily living activities. Neither of the two administers skilled nursing care, which is provided in “nursing homes.”

Additionally, there are many amenities and services that are provided in the assisted living communities and not in the in-home care, including among others daily meals and snacks, beauty salons and libraries, and on-site exercise rooms.

As for the cost, the annual nationwide average cost of in-home care is $52,000, while $45,000 on average for assisted living.

Cost of assisted living

Many families would ask for the cost of assisted living. Well, assisted living does not come with a low price; its average monthly cost is $3,750. Moreover, the rate can fluctuate depending on the apartment size chosen within the facility, assisted living community’s location, and the level of care a resident needs.

Best assisted living care in Albuquerque

There are a lot of assisted living care in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with an average cost of $5,100 a month for a private room. But the actual price will vary depending on the level of care required and which facility you choose. Some assisted living communities in the city provide a continuum of care, wherein they offer memory care, nursing, and rehabilitation services, while some operate as standalone facilities.

Here are 5 best assisted living care in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Beehive Homes of Albuquerque
Beehive Homes of Albuquerque, specifically located at 6401 Corona Ave NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, has both assisted living and memory care with a wide range of on-site amenities like beautician/barber services.
BeeHive Homes of Albuquerque NM - Assisted LivingBeeHive Homes of Albuquerque NM - Assisted Living is specifically located at E, 6100 Wilshire Avenue Northeast, Albuquerque, New Mexico. It has assisted living programs with an on-site garden.
BeeHive Assisted Living Homes of Rio Rancho NM #1 - Dementia Care & Memory CareBeeHive Assisted Living Homes of Rio Rancho NM #1 - Dementia Care & Memory Care, specifically situated at 204 Silent Spring Road Northeast, Rio Rancho, New Mexico, is a secure assisted living and memory care facility that provides private rooms for all residents.
BeeHive Homes of Rio Rancho #2BeeHive Homes of Rio Rancho #2, located at 2709 Chessman Drive Northeast, Rio Rancho, New Mexico, is an assisted living home, and has Home Health Care Agency and Hospice paid services available.
BeeHive Homes of Four HillsBeeHive Homes of Four Hills, located at 13450 Wenonah Ave SE Building 102, Albuquerque, NM, offers assisted living.

There are many other high-quality and trusted assisted living not only in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but also in other states. Should you want to know more about the best assisted living in your area, you can utilize the Internet and use these search terms: “assisted living near me,” “assisted living facilities near me,” “assisted living homes near me,” “list of assisted living facilities near me,” and most importantly “cost of assisted living near me.”

Conclusion

Assisted living is a form of care provided for seniors who need assistance with their various daily activities, such as toileting, bathing, dressing, and grooming in a long-term residential facility.

Practically and emotionally, it’s difficult to help an adult to move out of a current home. But you can lighten up the heavy load if you find a high-quality and trusted assisted living in your area. You can be assured that their safety and well-being are guaranteed.