Have you noticed that your parent could use a little help? They’re missing their medications; maybe they’ve had a fall that requires they have more assistance day to day. Now it’s the time to decide where to go, but you’re not sure what kind of care they need. Do they need a nursing home? Do they need assisted living? What’s the difference? We’re breaking down these two senior living options to help make your search a little easier.
Assisted living communities typically have a nurse on staff, as well as 24/7 care managers who are trained to handle care with dignity for elderly residents who need assistance with ADLs (Activities of Daily Living). Besides providing care and support, communities schedule numerous daily activities for residents to participate in and amenities like fine dining, housekeeping and laundry services. It’s a great option for the loved one who can’t quite live independently anymore but doesn’t need constant medical care.
At Aegis Living our Health Services Directors meet with each resident to assess their needs prior to move in to ensure each person receives the right amount of care. As most of our communities are assisted living & memory care, cognitive decline is taken into consideration as well.
Residents in assisted living have their own apartments, so there is still a level of privacy while they receive care. Though microwaves and small fridges are available in each apartment for any specific snacks a resident may want, there are rarely full kitchens to encourage residents to eat in the bistro or dining room with their neighbors and friends. The assisted living community you choose should have an excellent culinary program with amazing chefs who make dining a real 5-star experience!
There are a variety of activities planned daily, and residents can attend excursions to anywhere from the drug store to a local farmers market. Pets are welcome at most assisted living communities, if they are well-behaved. If you don’t have a furry friend of your own, most communities have a community pet to keep you company.
Skilled nursing homes provide the highest level of care (next to a hospital). If your parent or spouse is living with a complex medical condition or requires 24/7 medical care from a licensed nurse, they would benefit from a nursing home. Additionally, certain medical conditions legally can’t be addressed in assisted living and would require the care a nursing home provides.
Residents in skilled nursing have constant access to rehabilitative care. Rooms are set up in a hospital like setting, individual or shared, providing a safety net of constant supervision. Meals are provided and delivered to each resident in their room, rather than expecting them to meet in a dining room.
Because they are medical facilities, proper furniture is usually provided. Sadly, pets are not allowed in nursing homes, so make sure your loved one has a photo or stuffed animal version of their best pal to keep them company.
Many people require nursing care stays after incidents such as strokes or heart attacks to receive rehabilitative care. About a quarter of nursing home residents only stay for a few months while they’re recovering.
Now that you have an overview of these two care options, it’s time to find the best community for your loved one. Start touring! While websites are more comprehensive these days than they used to be, the best way to get a feel for where your parent’s potential new home is by seeing where the magic happens. We even have a handy list of the 20 questions you should ask when touring an assisted living community. Aegis Living communities schedule tours daily—you can even stay for lunch!
Respite Stays & Day Stays give family caregivers a real break—hours, days, or a few weeks—while your loved one enjoys a safe, enriching short‑term home at Aegis Living. Guests settle into a beautifully furnished private apartment and have 24/7 care staff and onsite nurses, medication management, and discreet safety technology (motion sensors, medical‑alert pendants, visitor check‑in) for peace of mind. Each day feels purposeful with chef‑prepared, all‑day dining and 200+ monthly activities—from book clubs and fitness classes to movie nights—plus full use of the community. We coordinate with your loved one’s physicians to mirror their routines and care, so the stay feels familiar. It’s also a smart trial run for senior living: meet neighbors, test services, and see what supported independence looks like—without a long‑term commitment. Choose a Respite Stay when you’re traveling or need time to recharge, when your loved one would benefit from structure, social connection, and great meals, or when you both want peace of mind while keeping options open.
Hospice & End‑of‑Life Care at Aegis Living is comfort‑first support for the final stage of life, delivered in your loved one’s private apartment by our 24/7 care team in coordination with a trusted local hospice provider you choose (or we can recommend). Together, we create a coordinated care plan that manages pain and other symptoms, oversees medications, and provides calm, dignified help with daily needs, while offering compassionate emotional support for both resident and family. Discreet safety measures and a reliable medical‑alert system bring help quickly; chef‑prepared, in‑apartment meals adapt to changing appetites. Families are guided through decisions and moments of closure so they can focus on being present in a peaceful, home‑like setting. If your loved one already lives at Aegis, they can remain in the comfort of their home, avoiding disruptive moves. Choose this level of care when curative treatment is no longer the goal and you want expert symptom control, hands‑on daily support, and a setting that protects dignity and prioritizes comfort, meaning, and time together.
Memory Care is specialized, secure support for people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who benefit from a calm, structured environment and round‑the‑clock expertise. At Aegis Living, that care happens in Life’s Neighborhood—an intimate, thoughtfully designed setting where 24/7 dementia‑trained caregivers and a nursing team on site seven days a week deliver personalized help with daily living, medication management, and mobility (including Hoyer lifts and two‑person transfers), while gently redirecting agitation and confusion. Days are purpose‑filled with science‑based cognitive programming, certified music therapy, and social activities; chef‑prepared meals are easy to enjoy and dining spaces and cues are designed for memory support. Discreet safety features like secured entrances, emergency pendants with fall detection, and optional motion sensors, prevent wandering and bring peace of mind, and visiting physicians and wellness professionals reduce trips off‑site. Families receive education and ongoing support. If your loved one is unsafe alone, missing medications, wandering, needs frequent cueing or hands‑on help with bathing or dressing, or thrives with a predictable routine, Memory Care offers the right level of care. For milder needs, our transitional Assisted Living can be a first step; for advancing symptoms, secured Memory Care provides the specialized, heartfelt support to help them feel calm, connected, and at home.