HERE'S SOME ADVICE FROM A OCTOGENARIAN

[Lon]

ASSISTED LIVINGLIVING IN ASSISTED LIVING -- A RESIDENTS PERSPECTIVE by Lon Tanner
Prologue--

Preparing For Assisted Living—
If you are now in your 50’s /60’s you stand a excellent chance of requiring some kind of Assisted Living in your later years. Why take the chance of having to sell your home and liquidate your assets & income.
The best thing you could do would be to buy a Long Term Care Policy through your employer if available, or independently on your own. Having such insurance will help preserve your assets and income. Such insurance is expensive, but considerably less so if purchased in your 50’s & 60’s.

The Move--
Since my moving into the Oakmont Assisted Living/Memory Care/Alzheimer’s facility two years ago I have had to go through a substantial learning experience. I made the arrangement my self instead of everything being decided on by a CARE TAKER/Friend/Family Member which is the usual scenario. I live in a very comfortable one bedroom/one bath/living room/kitchenette apartment on the second floor of a two floor facility. I am fortunate to have retained some degree of computer and technology experience which has made my life easier and more comfortable and will be discussed in another chapter.
Health & Mobility.
Like most of the residents, I am living here because of health issues that create symptoms requiring some degree of assistance. Many of the residents have some degree of hearing loss and wear one or more hearing aids My hearing loss is severe and makes certain social interaction difficult if not impossible.I cannot hear music and sorely miss it. Two of my medical conditions make it necessary to use a walker. A cane would be nice but balance difficulty requires a walker. Many of the residents use walkers and some wheel chairs, electrical & mechanical. I some times think we could use a traffic cop to direct walker and wheel chair movement in hallways and elevator. I am envious of some of the 90 year olds that are very mobile.

[catherine]

Thanks for telling us about your experiences, Lon. I've always wondered about the benefits and drawbacks of Long Term Care policies. It sounds like you have found the right option for you at this stage of your life, and it's great that you had the resources to find something really nice.

I'm also glad you kept up your technology skills!

[iris lilies]

Lon, welcome! I like hearing about your experiences.

I do think ahead to a time where I don’t have huge gardens because I can’t keep them up and I would be happy with a one bedroom room/kitchenette. It is no different than an efficiency apartment. I am actively looking at efficiency apartments of 550 ft.² for a possible city place when I move to the country.

Young people in the city here live in small apartments, but socialize in their buildings in the common spaces, in fitness rooms, on patios and rooftop decks. Of course they like a walkable neighborhood with bars and restaurants. But I see many similarities between assisted living places in our last years and the apartment living of young adulthood

I would be happy with a little bit of grass and a patio with some potted plants, shared space would be fine.I would want a pet of some kind, probably a cat. Either my own cat or a cat who lives in the building.


What is the pet policy in your place?

[Lon]

Pets are OK @ 25lbs. or less.

[rosarugosa]

It is good to hear from you, Lon. Many of us here ponder and discuss what will be the best living arrangements as we get older, so your perspective is very welcome.

[Teacher Terry]

Interesting Lon to hear about your experiences. Most people in my family have been able to stay home or if the last of the couple needed help it was 6 months or less. Whoever is left can sell the house for money to pay for assistance.

[dado potato]

Lon,

Thank you for posting about your experiences in assisted living. I hope you are well, given your circumstances.

I believe there is a wide variation in the management and standards of long-term care facilities. If I was considering a place I would definitely look at the results of state-mandated inspections as well as the Medicare rating. When touring I would like to check in with a few residents to hear what they like and dislike about living there.

From reading, I formed a positive impression of "Green House" homes. I think I would prefer to live in a cottage shared with 9 other residents rather than in a room in a more regimented building. I fancy that I could be a "sage", or involved in other ways in the ongoing love and life of the facility.

There are now Green House homes in 32 states. For example in Sheridan WY, the website says the private pay daily rate is $340. The board of directors includes the RN and the MBAs, but also a lady who is highly skilled in cleaning and recharging hearing aids, I see.http://sheridangreenhouse.org

[Tybee]

Pretty, but way too expensive for me!