A few years ago, cost-prohibitive retirement
communities and nursing homes were the only choices for the mature
adult seeking alternative living arrangements. Today, housing facilities which provide
"Assisted Living" or "Independent Living" are available as
an alternative solution, for seniors who may need only a little help.
Nursing home care was once the only option
when senior citizens began having difficulties maintaining their own Activities
of Daily Living (cooking, washing, housecleaning). These people are still
active, but just need some assistance with their daily living.
Retirement communities or centers are
generally expensive, do not provide any type of assisted living, and are best
suited for persons who only want a more social or community environment.
Assisted Living facilities and Independent
Living facilities fill the gap for people who don't need the high supervision
or medical care provided by a nursing home, but either shouldn't or don't want
to be living alone, or can no longer drive. These facilities offer an array of
services to assist the resident with their daily living needs, provide a social
outlet, provide interaction in the community, and encourage the person to
remain as independent as possible.
With many different services available to meet
the residents needs, Assisted Living also means that the person can remain in
their home during times of recuperation from illness or minor lapses in their
health. They do not have to move to Skilled Nursing Facilities or Nursing
Homes, which occurs frequently when a person is living alone. Also, as a
person's needs grow, the amount of assistance can grow to meet their needs and
keep them in their homes. Assisted Living and Independent Living facilities are
an exciting option for the senior citizen or disabled population in promoting
and preserving their independence.
IS ASSISTED LIVING RIGHT FOR ME? There
are many situations where Assisted Living may be appropriate. Here are some
examples:
- Assisted Living facilities or Independent
Living facilities are for people who need or want a place where they can live
in a community independently, but where assistance with their Activities of
Daily Living are readily available. These people may need help cooking their
meals, washing their clothes, bathing, and keeping their house clean.
- Assisted Living is an excellent choice for
persons who are no longer able to drive. They may not live in an area where
transportation is available or may have physical limitations where mass
transportation services ( like buses, subways, and trains) are restrictive or
hard to manage.
- They find it difficult to meet their
physical and social needs such as grocery shopping, church, socialization, and
doctor appointments.
- People who now desire to live in a more
community-based environment for socialization can also benefit from assisted
living facilities.
- They want a place to interact with their
peers, minimizing the common problem of feelings of isolation in the elderly
population. But they want a place that is their "home" where they
will be able to stay long term and is not an institution.
- They are anticipating the reality of
possible future decline in health or physical functioning and want a place that
can provide additional services as their needs grow.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN AN ASSISTED LIVING
FACILITY? Compare Assisted Living facilities. There can be a wide range of
costs and services provided by different facilities. You should have a firm
idea of what your needs and expectations of the facility are. Here are some
guidelines and tips when selecting a facility:
- Meet the staff and tour the facility.
Always tour a facility. If the facility does not provide for a tour, then
forget it! Remember, this is going to be your new home. You should meet the
staff and other residents.
Are the staff readily available, friendly,
and helpful? These are the people you will be relying on.
Is the facility building attractive,
pleasant, and clean? This will be your home! The building must be a
place you will want to live in.
What will your living accommodations look
like? Is your room furnished or will you have to provide the furniture? If you
have your own favorite bed, easy chair, family heirloom dresser, will they
allow you to bring it even if they provide furnishings?
Will they allow you to place pictures on
the walls to make your accommodations feel like the home that it is? Not all
facilities will allow for this.
COSTS. Most facilities charge a monthly
fee. There may be different cost based on the type of room you have and the
amount of services you receive. The facility should clearly state what you will
be receiving for your costs. Find out exactly what levels of assistance the
facility provides and how these services effect your monthly costs. You should
not have to pay for services that you currently do not need. You should be able
to easily upgrade or downgrade the amount of services you need and your costs
for these services.
Find out about hidden cost which you may be
responsible for such as utilities, phone service, and cable TV. Are you
responsible for these or are they included in your base fee? If you are
responsible, this can increase your total monthly costs and need to be
considered in your monthly budget. You don't want to find out after you've
moved in that these are additional costs to you.
WHAT PROCESS DOES THE FACILITY HAVE IN
PLACE TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS OR DESIRES RELATED TO THE FACILITY OPERATIONS
AND SERVICES? Although the facility may be bound by certain state and
licensure guidelines, they should always be open to hearing your concerns,
comments, and suggestions. The resident should have some means of expressing
their desires or concerns. After all, this is your home.
Is there a particular person you express your
concerns to? Meet this person. They should be friendly, attentive, open, and
accessible. Some facilities may have Residents Council meetings where all the
residents can meet to discuss their wishes and concerns and then forward this
information to the administrators of the facility. The type of system really
doesn't matter as long as a system is in place that is effective.
SAFETY. The following are very
important considerations:
Are there locks on the doors to protect your
valuables? Who has a key to your room besides yourself? Someone trusted from
the facility should have access in case you have a medical emergency while in
your room with the door locked or you lock yourself out of the room.
Are the entrance and exit doors to the facility
locked at night for security and at what times? Can you still get in if you
have been out late visiting?
Are there fire extinguishers, smoke detectors,
and possibly even sprinklers readily available throughout the facility?
Does the facility have some type of check-in
system to monitor who comes into the facility from the outside?
Are there security personnel available at the
facility?
WHERE IS THE FACILITY LOCATED? The
Assisted Living facility should be located nearby the community resources that
you will most commonly need. Are they located nearby doctors, hospitals,
shopping, church, and entertainment venues?
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. Of course,
location does not help much if transportation is not available. Assisted Living
facilities should provide some level of transportation into the community.
You should ask if the Assisted Living facility
charges extra for this service or if it is included in your monthly fee. Ask
them where they will provide transportation to, and what their transportation
schedule is.
Do they schedule weekly excursions for shopping,
church and to where? If they provide transportation to doctors appointments,
then how do you schedule this and how much notice do they need?
Do they offer scheduled transportation into the
community for social activities, and how frequently?
ACCESSIBILITY. Many senior citizens need
assistive devices for their mobility. They may need to use canes, walkers, or
wheelchairs. Is the facility truly accessible for these devices?
How easy is it to get to the dining room, get
your food, and sit at the table?
Do the bathrooms provide safety devices such as
grab bars in the tub or shower?
Can you get from your room to the different areas
of the facility without becoming too tired?
MEALS. How many meals do they provide?
This can range from no meals to three meals per day. If meals are provided, can
they accommodate special diet needs such as low fat, low salt, or diabetic diet
needs?
If meals are not provided, do they have cooking
accommodations in the rooms? If yes, then do they screen the residents to
ensure that this is not a safety hazard for all the residents? For some
persons, having cooking accommodations may be a risky business if they have
physical limitations or forgetfulness where they may leave a stove on.
ADL ASSISTANCE. What and how much
assistance will the facility provide with ADL's, and how does this effect you
monthly costs? Minimally they should provide housekeeping services in your base
costs. You should not have to pay someone to come in for housekeeping services.
Are laundry services available, and is this an
extra cost? Some facilities state "laundry available," and this means
coin operated washer and dryer machines are available. So you will still need
to be able to physically do your own laundry and get your clothes to and from
the laundry facilities. This can be a problem if you use a cane, walker, or
wheelchair.
Are nursing and aide assistance available if you
need it? If available, what services are they able to provide and how closely
will they work with your doctor? If not, then what outside services, such as
home health, are available locally and what is the extent of these services?
Recent Medicare cutbacks in home health services
generally allow for services in a limited capacity related to a recent illness
and for only a short duration.
ACTIVITIES
What social and recreational activities are
provided for at the facility? There should be regularly scheduled activities
such as cards, bingo, crafts, or book clubs as examples.
Who schedules these activities, and are the
residents able to suggest activities they are interested in? Many facilities
schedule special events such as dances, parties, and holiday events.
Is there a common, comfortable area for residents
to meet and socialize such as a lobby or patio area?
Are there grounds at the facility for those who
enjoy being outside or who are interested in gardening?
CONCLUSION. Assisted Living and
Independent Living facilities can be a viable and enriching living alternative
for many people. Be informed when choosing a facility and guarantee your long
term happiness in your new home.
This informative page on Assisted Living is
provided as a public service by
Admiral Retirement Home, a cost effective
Assisted Living Facility.
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