As a senior citizen in Pennsylvania, there are a number of reasons why you may feel uncomfortable living alone. You may not require the level of care provided by a nursing home, but at the same time, your family may not be able to provide the care that you require. If this description is similar to your situation, you should know that there are other care options available to you. One of these is a personal care home.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, a personal care home is similar to a nursing home in some respects. For example, each can provide you and other elderly residents with a long-term home. Each gives access to activities and services, although the specific services offered may differ. Similar to a nursing home, a personal care home is subject to regulation by the state and must have licensure, though a personal care home is not subject to federal regulation. Residents of a personal care home have similar rights to privacy, respect and dignity afforded to nursing home residents.
However, in other ways, a personal care home is different from a nursing home. The most significant difference is that a nursing home is a medical facility, while a personal care home is not. There are basic education requirements for staff at a personal care home, and they must receive training from the facility on an initial and ongoing basis, but they do not hold professional licenses. A nursing home has doctors and nurses on staff to provide medical care.
The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.