Is an Assisted Living Center
Right For You?

An assisted living center offers a wide range of housing options and services as compared with a traditional nursing home. At the very least, each resident lives largely independently in an apartment setting, but with some basic health supports.

If there is a hospital or temporary nursing home stay, she may then return to the apartment with whatever supports are needed to continue living with some assistance.

The most recent trend incorporates this model into what is called an assisted living community or continuing care retirement community. These may be either a for-profit or non-profit business, and offer single family homes surrounding a main apartment complex.

Many communities include restaurants, a performing arts center, library, resident business center, styling salons, health club, transportation services and a full service nursing home with an Alzheimer's unit.

These facilities give you many options. You can start in a single family home while using the amenities and social opportunities. Then move to an apartment when it’s time to downsize or you need some basic health related services--the assisted part of the equation.

The better communities offer interim nursing care services on-site, and temporary nursing home stays following an injury do not require you to give up your apartment, no matter their duration or frequency.

If you are considering a CCRC, you may wish to read this June, 2010 report (PDF file) from the U.S. Govt. Accountability Office with industry facts, general pricing, care options and considerations.

When to Make the Move

When is the best time to consider a move to an assisted living center? Before you need it! Think of it as a part of retirement and estate planning. It requires forethought and a careful review of options.

These are some of the key considerations:

• Investment Cost (buying in, maintenance fees, refund plans)
• Tax consequences (do part of the fees qualify for a medical expense deduction?)
• Services offered (health care, transportation, cleaning)
• Amenities (health club, restaurant, bar, library, entertainment)
• Contract terms (how costs calculated, how “independence” defined)
• Licensing (of facility and professional staff)

How Does a Nursing Home Differ?

Nursing homes are only required when your loved one cannot live "independently," as defined by the assisted living center's contract. A temporary convalescent stay is often needed following hospitalization for an injury or surgery. Once the patient is able to return to her previous lifestyle, she returns home, perhaps with at-home nursing care or other support.

A permanent nursing home stay is required where in-home services cannot be safely provided or are not offered through insurance. Private long term care insurance may offer more in-home services than Medicare or Medicaid, and is worth looking into.

You should view a nursing home as a service to use if the assisted living center does not have its own, and as a potential permanent residence should circumstances require it. Key factors to consider are:

• Licensing and Oversight (for both public and private homes)
• Proximity of nursing home to current or prospective residence
• Residency requirements (is there a waiting period if you recently moved)
• Services offered (range of medical care, who pays for other services)
• Transportation (who pays for off-site appointments)
• Reputation & Care History (any negative reports filed)

Considering these factors will save you much time and money.

A two step process to help you locate and rate nursing homes in your area is to visit your long term care ombudsman to locate homes in your area, and then see how they stack up against each other using Medicare's nursing home comparison tool.

Find A Consultant

When evaluating a assisted living center or any other elder care, it is often helpful to consult an experienced, objective advisor as to how to plan and implement the services your elder requires and deserves.

It is best to entrust your care only to those with the highest level of training, broad expertise, experience and ethical standards.

A variety of semi-professional organizations and franchises have arisen in response to the greater demands of our aging population. While some may be competent, it is best to carefully assess the reliability and accountability of any provider, as oversight laws are often slow to adapt to rapidly changing industries such as this.

Established professionals are already well regulated through government bodies and professional licensing organizations, providing a measure of comfort and security that you will be well served.

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Return From Assisted Living Center to Aging Gracefully