Senior Housing
Assisted Living
Assisted Living provides a special combination of residential housing, personalized supportive services and healthcare.
These residential settings maximize independence, but do not provide skilled nursing care.
Assisted Living may offer the same features as independent living communities, with the added assistance of personal care.
It is designed to meet the individual needs of those requiring help with activities of daily living,
but do not need the skilled medical care provided in a nursing home.
Services
Assisted Living Communities can be free standing, part of a Continuing Care Community that provides independent,
assisted and nursing care, affiliated with a nursing home, or often are specialized services brought into
independent retirement communities. There are a variety of names used to describe Assisted Living facilities;
many specialized to certain regions of the country. Board and Care, Residential Care Facilities,
Community Based Retirement Facilities, Personal Care, Adult Living Facilities, Adult Foster Care, etc.
are all examples of Assisted Living facilities. However, the generic term throughout the country is "Assisted Living".
Care
These residential settings maximize independence, but do not provide skilled nursing care.
Assisted Living offers the same features as retirement communities, with the added assistance of personal care.
It is designed to meet the individual needs of those requiring help with activities of daily living,
but does not need the skilled medical care provided in a nursing home.
Although the variety of services and level of care will vary,
most communities provide assistance with dressing, grooming, bathing, and other daily activities.
Assistance with medications differs according to state regulations;
this is reflected on each community-listing page by "supervision, administration, or monitoring".
Cost
Costs for Assisted Living depend on the number of services and accommodations that they offer.
The facilities charges will reflect the number of services that you will have access to.
Most plans include meals and laundry, but some may limit the number of meals per month.
Payment Options
Most Assisted Living Communities accept private pay only; however, in some states there is assistance with payment.
Some long-term care insurance policies may cover Assisted Living.
This type of information is best determined on an individual basis.
Regulation
Assisted Living facilities are regulated and licensed at the state level.
Each state does so according to its own laws-there are no federal regulations on Assisted Living.
Retirement Community (Independent Living)
Rental: Designed for individuals who are relatively independent, physically and socially.
Generally mid-sized to large campus style communities that offer a wide variety of activities and conveniences for the resident.
Generally meals, linen service, and transportation are provided for the monthly rental.
Most communities provide a la carte health care services as needs change.
Rental Costs: Price ranges vary by the type of community and size of apartment desired.
Generally, most communities are private pay; some offer reduced rents based on income.
CCRC/Lifecare: Large, self-contained, campus style communities that offer Retirement, Assisted Living,
and Nursing Services. Generally an initial entry fee and monthly payments guarantee the resident access to all specified health care services for the remainder of the resident's life. Most CCRC's establish minimum requirements for prospective residents, based on age, financial assets, and income level. In general, residents are expected to move into the community while they are still independent and able to take care of themselves.
CCRC/Lifecare Costs: Require an entry fee plus a monthly payment with the arrangement to care for
the individual for the remainder of his/her life. Most communities offer several contract options.
Depending on the contract the entrance fee may be non-refundable, refundable on a declining basis over time,
partially refundable, or fully refundable. Some communities offer full equity of purchase instead of an entry fee.
Senior Communities
Services
Independent living, often referred to as Retirement Communities, Congregate Living or Senior Apartments, are designed specifically for independent senior adults who want to enjoy a lifestyle filled with recreational, educational and social activities with other seniors. These communities are designed for seniors who are able to live on their own, but desire the security and conveniences of community living. Some communities offer an enriched lifestyle with organized social and recreational programs as a part of everyday activities (Congregate Living or Retirement Communities), while others provide housing with only a minimal amount of amenities or services (Senior Apartments).
Some Independent Living Communities offer abundant recreational activities which may include swimming pool/spas, exercise facilities, Clubhouse/Lounge and Library/Reading Lounges.
Communities may also provide laundry facilities, linen service, meals or access to meals, local transportation, and planned social activities. Communities can be either "Age Inclusive" or "Age Exclusive."
Age Inclusive communities attract retirees, but do not have age requirements whereas Age Exclusive communities do have senior age requirements (usually age 55 and older).
Cost
Prices are generally dependent upon the local market. Most communities that provide services are market rate, but some subsidized senior apartments cater to seniors with limited incomes.
Plans can include housekeeping, laundry, van or scheduled transportation.
Most communities with these services also provide at least one group activity per day.
Regulation
Because these communities are not licensed by local, state or federal agencies, there is no formal regulation.
In those communities that provide services and activities, the rules are set and governed by the
management company providing the services.
In other communities, an on-site or off-site manager will help address any problems.
Payment Options
Private Funds are most often used, although some senior apartments are subsidized and accept Section 8 vouchers.
Medicare and Medicaid do not cover payment since no healthcare is provided.
Care
Health care is not provided with your normal fees, but many communities will allow you to pay for a home
health aide or nurse to come into your apartment to assist you with medicines and personal care.
Senior Cooperative Living
Cooperatively owned senior housing provides full apartment and townhouse living, controlled by the seniors themselves.
All financial benefits accrue to the senior owners, including return of equity upon resale.
Tax deductibility or mortgage interest and real estate taxes, identical to single-family homeownership,
applies to cooperative ownership.
Each cooperative is independently owned by its member-residents.
Floor plans and prices vary significantly, depending on location, building style, and amenities.
Senior cooperatives typically include substantial community spaces and, in some cases, light housekeeping and meal service.
The following are a set of principles of senior cooperative housing collected and synthesized from
discussions with cooperative educators and developers.
Senior Cooperative Housing is:
1. Community
A cooperative is a community that is greater than the sum of its individual parts and works to protect
its members in all possible respects: financial, physical and social.
It is the dedication of the individual to the cooperative that creates a community vibrant enough to fulfill these needs.
2. Ownership
The members collectively own all aspects of the cooperative and run it in their own best interests,
both as a community and as individuals. Those involved in cooperative development
and management need to recognize this as distinct from other housing types and respond accordingly.
This differs from other housing types in that members have made a choice to come together to act
collectively rather than as disparate individuals.
3. Caring
The underlying basis for senior housing cooperatives should be an ethic of caring which puts the
well-being of the members above other considerations. It must be woven into the very fabric of
the cooperative from the beginning, starting with development and finance and continuing through
the day to day life of the cooperative.
4. Education
Everyone involved in the development and marketing of the cooperative should know cooperatives and
be committed to what they do and how they do it. Education about essential functions, such as roles and responsibilities,
and about essential skills, such as facilitation and mediation, should happen early and often.
5. Communication
Successful cooperatives have strong communication. Communication is both a structure and process
that is consistently cultivated in order to create and support community as well as to contribute
to the actual business of running a cooperative.
6. Shared Responsibility, Especially Financial
The financial structure of a cooperative enhances community and stability by all members having the
same relative interest in the well-being of the cooperative and working together to ensure it,
through shared ideals and instruments such as a shared mortgage and reserves, operations and maintenance budgets.
The shared financial structure of the cooperative is the basic framework that energizes the creation
and intensification of community. It should always work to reinforce community rather than be a source of confusion or conflict.
7. Fair
Cooperatives must be fair and transparent. The structure encourages this and it is up to the members and managers to
maintain this ethic and develop it further. All members have an equal interest in the success of the cooperative.
They enjoy an equal voice within the cooperative, are equally able to contribute to the well-being
of the cooperative and enjoy the same chance to contribute.
8. Participation and Involvement
Senior housing cooperatives are successful because the structure encourages involvement, by most if not all the members.
Strong boards of directors and managers facilitate effective and abundant interactions within the cooperative, thereby supporting a vibrant community.
9. Good Design
Cooperatives are designed to facilitate community through their barrier-free design and the quality and abundance of common spaces.
Good design also means quality construction which keeps costs low and satisfaction high. As owners, members create the spaces that support the way they want to live.
10. People First
Cooperatives are about meeting the varied needs of the members, as defined by the members themselves,
which allows for true responsiveness to the individual versus a homogeneous or institutional response.
11. Dedication
As with any worthwhile endeavor, cooperation needs to be cultivated and nurtured.
This takes energy, patience, and understanding, but the returns are invaluable.
12. Empowerment
Cooperative members have diverse and extensive expertise in a multitude of areas.
The cooperative structure encourages continued growth and application of this expertise for the improvement of the community.
|
