Topic: senior housing

Assisted Living is housing designed for individuals who need support with various levels of personal and medical care. Assisted living can benefit those needing assistance with transferring or functional mobility (transferring from bed to wheelchair, for example), showering or bathing, toileting, dressing, personal hygiene, and meal preparation, as well as medication management, housekeeping, laundry, transportation, and socialization.

MONTH-TO-MONTH. Assisted living is typically a month-to-month model, so you’re not paying a sizable buy-in or entrance fee like you would with a CCRC or Life Plan Community (as we discussed last week).

FIXED COSTS. You choose your apartment: it could be a studio, one bedroom, or two bedroom, and you pay base rent for your apartment. So that’s a fixed cost.  Also included are utilities, activities (life enrichment programs and outings), many if not all meals, in addition to basic housekeeping, laundry, and certain transportation, depending on the community. Some communities also provided wireless internet access as part of the daily rate.

CARE COSTS. On top of those charges, you will have a care assessment that determines what your actual care needs are and what the nursing and caregiving team is going to be doing for you on a daily basis. This assessment determines your care costs.

ASK QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO YOUR SITUATION. As Nicole points out, there’s lots of variability from one assisted living to the next in terms of the care they can and cannot provide. It’s really important to ask very specific questions that apply to your family’s situation.

In Washington state it is a requirement that every facility provide a Disclosure of Services  that clearly outlines what that facility does and does not provide. Sometimes it’s a starting point and actually helps you know where to ask more questions.

SOME EXAMPLES OF CARE NEEDS NOT COVERED. Some of the limiting factors at communities that provide lighter Assisted Living support that Nicole has seen specific to care needs includes:

• Transfers, also called functional mobility: how much help someone needs getting from bed to chair or standing.
• Incontinence care.
• Physical help with feeding or accommodating a modified diet.
• Challenging behaviors related to dementia.

As you review potential communities, those are the key areas that we focus on. And ask yourself, Is this a community that can support those needs now? And what does that look like down the road if and when needs change?

Additional Resources

• You may find this free online course of help. Should I Move Mom?
• Types of Long-Term Care (article from the Aging Wisdom blog)
• Choosing the Right Long-Term Care Facility (an article from AARP)

Interested in exploring and planning for long-term care housing and not sure where to start? We can help! Schedule a free get-acquainted call today. 

This podcast is part of a longer conversation between Nicole Amico Kane, Director of Care Management at Aging Wisdom, and Brenda Dodd, Director of Training and Special Projects at Áegis Living.