Making the decision to move a loved one to a long-term care facility is never easy. Finding the right place is even tougher. Almost 70 percent of people turning age 65 will need long-term care at some point in their lives. How do you decide what level of care is appropriate? What is the difference between Adult Foster Care Homes (assisted living), Independent Senior Living, and Skilled Nursing Homes? The biggest difference is the level of care that is provided. The general rule follows the natural progression of aging or disease.
Independent Living Communities are also known as “Retirement Communities.” According to Genworth.com, the average cost of a one-bedroom unit in an independent living or retirement community in the U.S. in 2012 was $2,750 a month. Oftentimes, there is a basic rate that covers all independent living services, with additional fees for special services. Services typically included in independent living are monthly rent and utilities (except local phone and cable service), one to three restaurant-style, chef-prepared meals in a community dining room, housekeeping, including laundering of linens and towels, weekly activities, transportation for shopping, medical and off-site activities, and an on-site beauty salon.
The next level of care is an Adult Foster Care Home, or Assisted Living facility. In general, assisted living communities provide basic supervision and monitoring, as well as daily activities and care. Activities of Daily Living (ADL) include dressing, eating, mobility, hygiene, bathing, toileting, medication distribution, housekeeping, laundry, activities and access to medical services.
“Not only is assisted living financially equal to living at home in many cases, it’s a dramatically different way of life,” says Pam Talon, A Place for Mom’s Market Development Coach for the northeast U.S. region. Living in an engaging community with numerous daily opportunities for social interaction is a welcome change of pace for most seniors. In fact, many seniors living at home cut back on entertainment as a way to save money. The average cost of assisted living is reported as $3,823 per month and Memory Care (for residents with dementia) is $4,849 per month.
Skilled Nursing Homes provide all levels of skilled medical care, including nursing, physician, physical therapy, occupational therapy and social work. Almost 70% of people turning age 65 will need long-term care at some point in their lives; services include medical and non-medical care for people with a chronic illness or disability. Most long-term care services assist people with Activities of Daily Living. Medicare will reimburse for a limited period (up to 100 days of care), at which time you must then pay out of pocket. This can cost up to $6,965 per month, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To know whether a facility is right for your loved one, you need to visit it. Try to inspect at least three. Pay attention to overall cleanliness. Follow your nose. Are there strong, offensive odors in common areas or emanating from residents’ rooms? Watch the residents. Make sure they are in common areas and are active. If not, ask where they are and what they’re doing. Watch the staff. Do they smile and say, “Hello?” Do they look like they enjoy their jobs? Look at the physical set-up – it should look like a residence, not a hospital. That means it should allow residents to bring their own furniture or other belongings to make their environment feel more like home. And make sure that the property is secure.
Look for living things, such as fish tanks, caged birds, potted plants and a garden – things that give residents a reason to smile.
