Now that life
spans are stretching into the 80s and 90s, coupled with
the mobility of the younger generation, seniors often find
their lifelong home is no longer appropriate for their needs
and they become isolated from friends and family.
The answer to this dilemma
has been the growth of retirement communities, which offer
a choice of independent or assisted living, available on
a rental or buy-in basis.
But with so many different kinds in the area and with no
uniform definition or regulations throughout the United
States, researching the best facility for your needs can
be difficult and time consuming.
While not commonplace, the
fact that poor care and even worse, abuse of frail or mentally
challenged elders can occur, proves a point I have always
felt passionate about.
It is imperative to choose
carefully. Additionally, a family member should regularly
visit and be alert to any behavioral changes in their relative.
If any significant signs are present, the relative and staff
should be questioned, and if satisfactory assurance is not
obtained, a call to the ombudsman may be in order.
Basically, there are two types
of communities: rental and continuing care; and there are
three levels of care: independent, independent with assistance
and skilled nursing. Rental communities typically offer
the first two levels of service with assistance either provided
by community staff or by the resident’s family arranging
services through the VNA or an outside health agency.
In either case, those fees
are in addition to the basic rental cost of the apartment.
Should skilled nursing be required, the resident would need
to be moved to a nursing home. Continuing care communities
offer all three levels of care, and because they have a
skilled nursing department on premises, they are more costly,
requiring a major upfront payment as well as monthly fees.
Since they will provide care
for the individual for the rest of his or her life, they
also have certain health requirements, which must be met
at the time of entry. Due to the health and financial requirements,
continuing care communities tend to attract somewhat younger
and more affluent seniors.
They offer the advantage of
a gradual transition from independent living to having medical
or personal care and skilled nursing care, while remaining
in the same location. The independent retirement communities,
which also offer assisted-living services, offer more flexible
rental arrangements, a decided advantage if family members
might make a move in the future or if the individual does
not wish to make a long-term commitment.
Before choosing a facility,
an accurate evaluation of an individual’s physical,
financial and lifestyle needs should be done.
Unfortunately, too often,
families wait until a crisis occurs before doing some of
this important research.
Next, several communities should be visited and some important
questions answered. For example:
- What kind of assessment
is done to determine individual needs and what are the
qualifications of the person doing the assessment? ‰What
is the certification of the people who care for residents?
‰Is there a nurse on staff? ‰Who is responsible
when the nurse is not on duty? Good assisted living should
encourage independence, dignity, privacy, social activity
and a maximum level of functioning.
- To receive a free copy
of the Senior Living Solutions pamphlet, "A Helpful
Guide to Choosing an Assisted Living Community,"
send a stamped, self-addressed, legal-size envelope to
Jean Cherni 15 The Ponds, Branford 06405. Please state
whether the information is for yourself or a relative.
Jean Cherni
is founder of Senior Living Solutions, a retirement advisory
service. Contact her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or
15 The Ponds, Branford 06405. H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
agents and branch offices in greater New Haven and the Shoreline.
Corporate and & Commercial offices are located in North
Haven, where the company was founded in 1958. All listings
can be found in color on the web at: www.hpearce.com. |
