The conversation often starts the same way. A parent falls. Or the neighbors mention they haven’t seen her pick up her mail. Or a son in Fairfield County gets a call from his mother in Westport at 2 a.m. — she isn’t sure where she is.

The family begins researching. They find two categories: assisted living and nursing homes. They tour a facility. They are quoted a number that is larger than their mortgage. And they ask: is there another way?

There is. But first, it is worth understanding what those two options actually provide — and for whom they were designed.

There is no universally right answer. Families with parents who require round-the-clock skilled nursing have no alternative. But the majority of Connecticut families making this decision are not in that situation — they are making it because they feel they have run out of options at home.

A Private Duty Aide does not replace a nursing home for someone who needs one. But for the vast majority of seniors who simply need reliable daily help — with medications, mobility, meals, and a known face — it is often the most humane, most cost-effective, and most reversible path available.