Delaware Catholic Assisted Living

A quick search in the state of Delaware will turn up 30+ Catholic assisted living facilities, spread across the state, but as might be expected, most are in and around the Dover and Wilmington areas. Most Catholic Assisted Living Communities are directly associated with a diocese or a Catholic order of Nuns, but there are a fair number that are Catholic without being directly affiliated with the church. Brookdale Senior Living is a good example of a non-affiliated assisted living facility, where Catholics will feel very much at home.

Cost of Catholic Assisted Living in Delaware

At an average of $6,180 per month for a place in a Catholic assisted living facility, Delaware is expensive, at least compared to the US average for assisted living facilities. The costs are fairly uniform across the state as well, so whether in Dover, Wilmington, or anywhere else in the state, these prices are going to be in that ballpark. That doesn’t mean there are no deals to be found. Some of these especially Catholic assisted living facilities are likely to have prices that are a bit friendlier and closer to the national average of $4,000 per month.

Catholic Assisted Living Communities in Delaware - Amenities

Those truly Catholic assisted living facilities will show signs of that faith in just about every aspect of life in these assisted living homes. Those assisted living centers that are unaffiliated or loosely affiliated will show more of a mixed character, and may often be multi-denominational. Either way, they will have a chapel where religious services will be held, they will have bible clubs and prayer circles, and they will have regular guest speakers and religious outings that enrich the lives of the faithful.

Catholic Retirement Communities in Delaware - Religious Amenities

Catholic assisted living facilities are obviously Catholic. From the moment you walk through the doors it is clear that you have entered a home where faith is an integral part of daily life. It could be a cross hanging over the front desk, or the small alter, with candles and saints that beckon the faithful to offer a quick prayer, but it will leave no doubt that this is a space where God’s flock are cared for. Other assisted living facilities that are also focused on faith may not show that commitment in the same ways but, the faithful will still feel welcome and supported in the practice of their faith.

Catholic assisted living facilities tend to be actively involved in some form of prayer or thanksgiving, throughout the day. Days start with a morning prayer. Meals are preceded by saying Grace. There will be pauses where the entire assisted living center will stop and pray together, for example, at 6:00 for the Angeles. And, there will be clubs, prayer warriors as an example, where groups of the faithful will band together to ask for God’s blessing for themselves and others.

Other daily activities will include educational programs that help residents of these Catholic assisted living facilities deepen their understanding of their faith, and that help them reach out into the community and contribute their talents and faith for the benefit of others. One common way seniors tend to accomplish this is by volunteering to teach Sunday School, where even and elderly adult in a wheelchair can play an active role.

Every senior entering a Catholic assisted living facility will have been part of a parish community before they made the move. There is a good chance that they chose an assisted living center based on its proximity to that parish. Catholic assisted living facilities understand the importance of maintaining that link to the parish community and will take positive steps to help keeps those bonds strong.

Catholic Senior Living in Delaware - Amenities

It would be rare to find a senior that is entering any assisted living facility without having some very specific needs for settling into one of these centers. The vast majority would prefer to live independently but age is taking a toll and making that lifestyle more and more difficult to maintain. It could be that issues of mobility are making it tough to get out and about the way they’d like. It might be arthritic joints that make it tough to groom and dress. Whatever the case may be, they need some measure of direct support and that is where a Catholic assisted living facility comes into the picture.

Assisted daily living (ADL’s), address these limitations with direct assistance so seniors can confidently deal with bathroom visits, bathing, grooming, dressing and eating. They will help seniors get from one place to the next as each day unfolds. They will provide bathroom reminders for those dealing with incontinence, and medication administration that ensures doses aren’t forgotten. And, they will lead both fitness and rehabilitation programs the challenge the aging process and bring seniors back from illnesses and injuries that are making them more dependent on others.

Food plays an important role in every assisted living facility, whether Catholic or not. Seniors rightfully expect 3 great meals a day, that are more than just good for them. They reasonably expect them to be well prepared and well presented. In this regard, the best assisted living facilities will feel more like living on a cruise ship then anything that resembles an old-age home.

The faithful naturally have interests beyond their faith and this is where a wide range of daily activities come into play. Arts & crafts, woodworking, games, and social activities help make each day an interesting assortment stimulating things to do and to learn. This can also include various therapies that help improve both physical and emotional health. Things like pet-therapy and music therapy are create examples of these types of activities.

For seniors dealing with Alzheimer’s and other form of dementia, most of the above will be important for them but it won’t be enough. They will need additional and very specific care that helps deal with the anxiety, frustration and depression that follows memory loss. They also need a more secure environment that helps prevent them from wandering into trouble. And, they need an environment that is far more consistent in the way each day progresses and provides far fewer distractions so these seniors can better focus on specific tasks. Not all assisted living facilities are equipped to meet this challenge and those that are will understandably charge more for this advanced care.

Catholic assisted living facilities in Delaware are remarkably well rated. In fact, a quick search shows none that are poorly rated, so that is a great place to start. Among the best are Stonegates in Greenville, and Country Estates in Wilmington. Also, very well rated, is the Little Sisters of the Poor Jeanne Jugan residence. All three are rated near a perfect 5-stars which put them slightly ahead of most other assisted living facilities in this state.

Catholic assisted living facilities in Delaware have a lot to offer, and many to choose from, so for the faithful, there should be a really good choice to settle on.