Just a decade ago, there were only a few options in the Manassas, Virginia, area that seniors could explore when planning for the various stages of their retirement. And because it is never too early to plan, you may already have found yourself coming across two different types of options: senior living communities and senior rehab centers.
Though both offer skilled healthcare professionals and services that can accommodate the full range of senior care needs, there are important differences between the two that you should understand as you plan your future and weigh your options.
What Are Senior Living Communities?
Senior living communities are for seniors who are looking for a variety of apartment and condo options to enjoy, packed with a wide range of amenities, activities, and experiences, such as wellness courses and meal services. Additionally, many senior living communities offer transportation services and opportunities to experience local attractions with their neighbors.
Senior living communities are a great option for seniors who:
- Are looking for a way to simplify their lives by eliminating the stresses and costs of homeownership and maintenance. In a senior living community, dedicated staff take care of these maintenance responsibilities and facilitate a full range of social, emotional, and physical wellness programs. Arbor Terrace Sudley Manor, for example, offers specialists who can visit residents in their home.
- Are looking for easy and regular access to a wide range of amenities, social gatherings, and activities.
- Would like to live near peers with whom they can enjoy experiences without having to travel too far.
- Are trying to simplify their budget planning with an all-in-one-type model that includes housing, food, activities, transportation, and more.
- Are currently active and independent, but want to plan for the potential need for extra support as needs may change.
What Are Senior Rehab Centers?
Senior rehab centers are inpatient care providers that deliver specific therapy and treatment until a patient is able to return home. A senior rehab center often has specialized and skilled nurses and staff on hand to provide care for a temporary period, which could follow a surgery, hospital visit, or decline in health. As with other rehabilitation providers, the focus is to prepare the resident to return to their own home.
Depending on the person and the medical treatment plan outlined by their doctors, a senior rehab center can provide:
- Round-the-clock skilled nursing for services such as IV therapy, wounds, or dialysis, as well as specialized physical, speech, or occupational therapy.
- Support for the resident over a period of days, weeks, or months aimed to help them recover as much of their functional abilities as possible.
Senior Living vs. Senior Rehab Centers in Manassas, VA
Though there is no one-size-fits-all option, senior living communities focus on a holistic and long-term level of care for their residents, while senior rehab facilities focus on recovery. Therefore, by their very nature, senior living communities can provide seniors with continuous care for their physical, mental, and social needs through their skill practitioners, workshops, events, and professionally prepared meals.
So how else are senior living communities different?
- Affordability: Senior rehab centers tend to be more expensive and are often only covered by medical insurance for a specific period of time, such as 100 days.
- Social opportunities: Senior living communities tend to concentrate their residents in one location. In senior rehab centers, the focus is mainly on recovery and rehabilitation.
- Amenities: Senior living communities are known for their nutritious meals, classes, trips, physical and mental fitness programs, and much more. Though some rehab centers can offer some of these features, they are not part of their primary mission.
Seniors in the Manassas area who wish to find an engaging community of supportive peers and community staff can find this (as well as a holistic level of care) in a senior living community like Arbor Terrace Sudley Manor.
If you would like to learn more about what your senior living experience could look like, we would love to show you what Arbor Terrace living is all about. Contact our team to learn more.
