Senior Housing
The Changing Landscape
The 21st century senior has a myriad of options for housing. From aging-in-home to independent living, from assisted living to skilled nursing centers, seniors have more choices than ever before. The aging of the baby boomers has fueled the change in senior housing options since the mid 1990’s. The oldest baby boomers turned 60 in 2006, and when the trend peaks in 2030, the number of people over age 65 will soar to 71.5 million -- one in every five Americans. As a result changes have been made in all facets of senior housing.
How do I know what housing option is best?
Senior Housing selection depends upon the individual’s abilities:
- Cognitve: is the individual alert or are they showing signs of dementia or confusion?
- Physical: is the individual in good physical health and able to function independently?
- Perform Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are everyday activities involved in personal everyday care. ADLs include bathing, dressing, eating, and getting around the house. ADLs are used to evaluate individuals to determine if they are capable of living on their own without assistance.
- Financial: Does the individual have the financial means to pay for the type of housing that is selected? Will insurance cover any of the housing cost? Is the resident eligible for Medicare or Medicaid? What private insurance or long term care insurance do they have? What is covered in their insurance plan?
Senior Housing Options
Short Term Care & Rehabilitation: is generally used by individuals recovering from a hospital stay generally due to surgery (particularly hip, knee or shoulder surgery) or stroke. Short-term care facilities provide intensive physical and occupational therapies with the purpose of returning the individual back to their home upon completion. Short Term Care & Rehabilitation treatment can be performed in skilled nursing homes and hospital owned or privately owned rehabilitation centers. The emphasis is on the rehabilitation services. Ask for a tour of the rehabilitation area and speak with the rehabilitation director. Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances generally pay for limited time periods for Short Term Care & Rehabilitation following a qualifying hospital stay.
Independent Living: is generally associated with senior communities or retirement communities. A senior community is similar to other neighborhoods except it is restricted to people usually 55 or over. Senior communities provide a full range of activities geared towards seniors. Residents are expected to be fully independent and are responsible for 100% of the cost.
Assisted Living: is for individuals who need assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) but wish to live independently for as long as possible. Residents in assisted living centers are not able to live by themselves but do not require constant care or skilled nursing care. Assisted living facilities offer help with ADLs such as eating, bathing, dressing, laundry, housekeeping, and assistance with medications. Assisted living bridges the gap between independent living and nursing homes. Assisted living is not an alternative to a skilled nursing home, but can be an intermediate level of long term care appropriate for many seniors. Assisted Living is generally financed by the resident or family. Check all insurances to determine if any expenses are covered.
Skilled Nursing Facilities: or Nursing Homes provide 24-hour skilled medical care in addition to custodial care for short-term and long-term care residents. A Skilled Nursing Home has Registered Nurses who help provide 24-hour care to people who can no longer care for themselves due to physical, emotional, or mental conditions. A licensed physician supervises each resident’s care while licensed nurses and certified nurse assistances provide daily care. Skilled medical care can include rehabilitation services (physical, occupational and speech), wound care, dementia care, kidney dialysis treatment, administering and monitoring IV antibiotics, and other medical services depending upon the facility. Custodial or personal care includes assistance with ADLs. Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances generally pay for limited time periods for skilled nursing care following a qualifying hospital stay. Long term care coverage varies by insurance provider.
Continuing Care Community: provide independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing home care in one location, enabling seniors to remain in a familiar setting as they grow older. Many seniors enter a Continuing Care Community while they are healthy and active, knowing they will be able to stay in the same community and receive skilled nursing home care should this become necessary. The cost for Continuing Care Community varies and is dependent upon the type of care provided and the fees charged by the community.