How to Choose the Best Assisted Living Option
There’s no place like home…we all know that. However, at times, the best option for an older adult is to move into an assisted living community. Care for increased needs, meals, activities, and socialization are often the main reasons why older adults move into this type of living situation. Fortunately, we have many more options today then we did 20 to 30 years ago. Let’s review the main options when it comes to making a big decision about where to move to.
Assisted living communities: these are usually stand-alone communities that range in size from 30-130 rooms. They typically offer assisted living and a community within specifically to care for people with memory impairment. When looking at assisted livings, it is essential to make sure they do have memory care. If they don’t, they may make you move should you need that type of care. Most assisted livings have a monthly fee they charge that is dependent on the type of room you select, (the bigger, the higher the cost), as well as the level of care needed. If you need more care, the charges are higher. They also will charge extra for incontinence products, pets, cable, and phone. Most communities require a one-time fee of a month’s rent, often called a community fee, to help maintain the common areas. Assisted livings usually offer several activities a day, and variety of foods, and meal times that will work with your schedule. They have more staff so you may have more flexibility if you need help showering and dressing.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (often referred to as CCRC’s) have more of a campus feel as they often offer several levels of care. Most communities offer independent living, (which tends to be the bulk of their residents), assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing care. It can be difficult to come into these types of communities at any other level than independent living as they often hold spots for those residents first. If you come in as an independent living resident, you will most likely pay a large down payment on your apartment. That fee will be returned to you in full or partially when you leave the entire community but not usually if you move from level to level. These communities are larger so they have more activities and amenities to offer their residents, however, read the fine print. Some areas and activities are for specific levels of care only. One of the benefits of this type of community is that with the different levels of care offered, you usually never have to leave the community, but move through the levels instead. Most CCRC’s are structured similarly to a stand-alone assisted living by the apartment size you choose and the level of care needed in their assisted living and memory care areas.
Group Homes are smaller residences, and they usually have 8-15 residents in each home. They tend to be in refurbished single-family homes and offer a more intimate, home like feeling. Due to their size, residents can get more personalized care, and it feels more like a normal home. Most group homes get to know their residents and family members very well. They may schedule their fees by the room selection, larger rooms and rooms on the first floor tend to be more expensive. Some group homes have flat rates for care vs. levels of care, while others take it case by case. They may have a one-time fee similar to assisted living and will also charge separately for incontinence products and extra services like cable, phone, etc. They tend not to have as many activity and food choices regularly, but may also have the ability to do one on one activities or oversee and manage different diets due to health conditions or cultural needs.
The most important thing to me when I’m touring a new community is to meet the people running it. A beautiful place that doesn’t have great care is not worth it, so make sure you tour a range of communities and meet the staff. It is always helpful to ask to have lunch with a resident and to speak with their family to get a sense of their views on the community. Always calculate the cost of each community by the highest rate, you or your loved one could likely need it sooner than you think and you don’t want to have to move because you can no longer afford the higher cost. Tour ahead of time rather than waiting for a crisis because you won’t be thinking as clearly and may need to move quickly. Where we live and who we live with are very important to our overall well-being at all stages of our lives!
