Assisted living business?

[redfox]

I have thought of getting into the assisted living business. This article demonstrates why, and the population I'd like to work with:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-espinoza/integrating-lgbt-older-ad_b_1917037.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Anyone out there in SLF land who has run an assisted living business? I'd like to talk!

[Float On]

I have heard that nursing home administration and assisted living adminstration is a growing field. I've considered it as well. I worked 'activities' in a beautiful facility for awhile during college, loved having all those extra grandmas and grandpas.

[Simpler at Fifty]

I am not in the business but have had many clients in them. I see the biggest issue is getting quality people to stick around. CNAs are not paid a high wage and will jump ship for a $100 signing bonus at another place. It think the population you are wanting to help would be an excellent start. I wish I had the business sense and personality to run one. If you have time, volunteer to help with an activity once a week. That will let you see a little of what goes on.

[BayouGirl]

Bless you Redfox and thanks for the link to that article. It was quite a thought provoking piece and I am glad to see there are people out there trying to fill this need for these people. I have heard many heartbreaking stories of how couples have been separated and had no rights to be with each other. My own dear Godfather was in a longterm (30+ years) relationship and when his partner died suddenly, he was thrown into a nightmare of fighting with his partner's family over everything that he and his partner had worked for and earned in their 30 years together. My uncle was treated as though he were nothing and that he was entitled to nothing. It was heartbreaking.


I admire you for wanting to create such a place. I have often thought that if I could, ideally I would like to community of tiny house for people in need, such as foster kids who have aged out the system, teens cast out of the FLDS church, people in recovery, etc. I have previously worked in a nursing home and there is such a need for truly caring individuals to work with the elderly and create a community where they can truly feel at home.

[puglogic]

I've no experience here, Rebecca, but I think you should definitely spend some time brainstorming this as a business idea. What a great opportunity for you and for the populations you want to serve. For people like you (and me) a heart-based business like this is so great. For some reason when I read your post I thought of Cynthia Trenshaw (http://cynthiatrenshaw.com), who is up in your neck of the woods and a lovely human being. And of this article I once read, also in your neck of the woods: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2002963885_elder27m.html . Unsure why it occurred to me to mention those, but I don't question such things :D

Good luck with this.

[SteveinMN]

My DW used to work in social services licensing in a nearby county. I know the rules differ county-by-county and state-by-state, so I'm not sure how much I mention here would be applicable.

But I can suggest a few things:

One, the cost of serving people in a nursing home has become so high that it makes more financial and emotional sense to serve them in-home with home modifications, care assistants, and nursing services when needed. Certainly there will be nursing homes in the future, but they will be limited to people who cannot be served any other way. Already the county in which DW works has put a moratorium on new beds in nursing homes. Given the aging of the American population, that tells you which way the wind is blowing.

A close member of my family has severe Multiple Sclerosis and cannot live independently. Between his own disability insurance and SSDI, the house in which he lives has been adapted with a ramp, wider doorways, grab bars, and a roll-in shower. He has Personal Care Assistants come in every day for most of the day (there is another caretaker for the other hours) and nursing and PT/OT care come in as necessary. He has been given a portable computer which he can use because adaptive equipment on regular personal computers was just beyond his abilities), medical transportation, trips to support/therapy sessions, etc. All of this still is less expensive than providing room for him in a nursing home.

Second, you would do well to talk with people running group homes and assisted living facilities. There may even be professional associations or organizations for them. Even though the "heart" component of this care is absolutely critical, it is a business. My wife has mentioned people she's worked with who had a great deal of enthusiasm and emotional support -- but virtually no business plan and no idea of day-to-day responsibilities or how to keep alive financially long enough to sustain the facility.

Good luck -- you have a great heart for taking this on. It certainly can work to meet the needs of people in your area. But you do want to go into it as fully armed with information as you can be.