Assisted Living Community Versus a Nursing Home, What’s the Difference?

Many families mistakenly think senior living and particularly assisted living is just a more luxurious nursing home. The fact is nursing homes are intended for people who are unable to care for themselves due to physical or mental conditions and require around-the-clock skilled nursing care. Residents may be bedridden or in wheelchairs and receive ongoing palliative and preventative long-term care.

Assisted living is for seniors who are mostly independent but require help with what is known as Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and include things like dressing, bathing and other personal care activities. In some cases, people move into an assisted living community knowing that while they do not now need assistance with such tasks, they may need help in the near future.

Assisted living also makes sense for seniors who are looking for more companionship and love the security of knowing they are not alone. As many senior living communities such as MorningStar of Sparks have an emergency call system in each suite, you can rest easy knowing help is just minutes away. Another perk of MorningStar is we offer scheduled transportation so you will never have to worry about getting to your doctor appointments and other important errands.

Moreover, while MorningStar’s suites vary in size and number of bedrooms, all of our suites are smartly designed to make the most of the space they offer with high ceilings, large windows and both natural and overhead lighting. In addition, residents often tell us what a relief it was to give up their large family homes that were hard to keep clean as well as all of the maintenance required. Residents also enjoy weekly housekeeping, laundry and linen services.

MorningStar of Sparks offers the kind of senior living area families have come to count on. In addition to offering Greater Reno assisted living, we have 128 bright suites for independent living and another 32 secure suites in our Reflections Neighborhood devoted to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases. Please see our website to learn more.

MorningStar of Sparks’ mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other Greater Reno assisted living, independent living and memory care options. Our foundation is built upon honoring God, valuing all seniors, and investing in staff with a felt calling to serve. Dedicated to creating a real home for residents within a beautiful setting, we encourage you to see for yourself our exceptional community.