SALT LAKE CITY — Many seniors reach a point in their lives where they can no longer take care of a home and yard, or they want the freedom from being tied down by those responsibilities. Looking at alternative living arrangements there is a lot to consider, but of primary importance should be finding a situation that meets their needs in a setting that feels like home.
Amenities vary depending upon the type of facility, but generally include meals, housing, activities and transportation. Almost all facilities have physicians who will make house calls to the community.
Nadeen Marcus, marketing director for The Wentworth at Parklane, estimates there are more than 50 senior living facilities across the Wasatch Front, with others scattered in rural areas throughout the state. Because each is unique, “It’s important for seniors to interview with each building they are interested in to make sure it’s the right fit for them,” she said.
Generally, there are three options: independent living/senior retirement centers, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, The Avenues Courtyard Executive Director Shirene Saddler said.
Independent Living/
Senior Retirement Centers
These centers generally provide meals, housing, transportation and social activities, including classes and outings. Residents may contract with providers for outside care services.
Assisted Living Centers
At assisted living centers, staff nurses and nurse’s aides provide skilled assistance for personal care services including dressing, eating, grooming, transport (from bed to chair, for example) and self-administration of medications, according to Sadler. At most assisted living centers residents can “age in place,” meaning their needs can be accommodated as they require more care.
Residents may receive additional home and health care services such as physical therapy or hospice through individual contracts with those agencies. Some assisted living communities are designed specifically to care for those with memory impairment, while others offer memory care units, along with general assisted living.
Skilled Care Centers
Seniors needing more help may want to consider a skilled nursing facility, where physicians supervise the care of every patient and there is at least one full-time registered nurse on staff.
Most modern senior living and assisted living facilities offer a combination of studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments with their own bathrooms. Some smaller facilities offer individual rooms with shared communal spaces.
Generally, facilities can accommodate a couple who wants to remain together, while some centers allow additional caregivers with an extra person fee. While the average stay at these types of facilities is 30 months, both Sadler and Marcus have seen residents who have lived at their facilities for many years.
Price
Generally prices can range from $3,000 a month to $6,000 a month per resident, Marcus said. Many seniors who can easily afford the facilities still baulk at the price because, having lived through lean times such as the Great Depression, they see the options as expensive, but the amenities and the socialization provided can benefit them, she said.
“Often they’re just hurting themselves, not socializing, just sitting and watching TV, not eating correctly, and not being hydrated, which in turn leads to health issues,” she said. “I tell them they’ve lived and worked hard all their lives. They’re at a stage where it’s time to be pampered and they need to let us pamper them.”
Some financial help is available to veterans and their spouses through the Aid and Attendance pension benefit for vets who have served at least one day during wartime. The benefit pays approximately $1,700/month for the vet and $1,100 for the spouse. Vets can learn more at veteranaid.org or any county aging service will have individuals who can walk them through the process, Sadler said.
There are also some options to help provide for care if seniors’ means are limited. While Medicare will not fund any kind of senior living, under the New Choices waiver Medicaid will provide assistance once an individual’s funds have run out if that person has lived in assisted living and paid privately for a year. Seniors who move from skilled nursing facilities to assisted living also may qualify for this waiver, Saddler said.
Both Sadler and Marcus recommend that seniors research the options early.
“Look early so you’re not looking during a crisis,” Marcus said. “Then if a crisis hits, you’ll be able to make an informed decision and not just be limited to what’s available at that time.”
Tour a few places and stay for lunch so you can taste the food. Then talk to the people who live there and get their input, both said.
“Assisted living is a great thing,” Sadler said. “We often see people who are not thriving at home start to thrive. In getting healthy meals, assistance with their needs and their medication, there is often a bounce up in their condition.”
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