Healthier People, Healthier Organizations
Help Your Organization's Caregivers: Is Assisted Living the Right Option?
by Dr. Barney Spivack, LifeCare Medical Director

There's no way around it: as time goes by, more and more of your organization's employees will have to provide care to aging parents, spouses and other loved ones. As they do, they'll need to make decisions that directly affect the quality of their loved ones' lives. One of these decisions likely will be whether to place their loved one in an assisted living facility at some point.

Here are some tips to help employees make more informed decisions:

Tip #1 — Assisted living facilities are not nursing homes. Assisted living is designed to help people who can't live independently any longer but who don't require intensive around-the-clock skilled nursing care. Assisted living is a middle ground between independent living and a nursing home. It is an excellent option for older loved ones who need some help with daily activities and who will benefit from the support and structure that assisted living facilities provide.

Tip #2 — Assisted living facilities try to help people preserve as much of their independence as possible. These facilities help people with the daily living activities they can no longer handle on their own-bathing, dressing, eating, management of medications, etc. Assisted living also monitors individuals to ensure their health and safety. Eventually, a loved one might need to be moved from an assisted living facility to a facility that provides a higher level of care if her/his care requirements or clinical status changes.

Tip #3 — The structure and size of assisted living facilities vary. Most are based on a residential model rather than an institutional model, meaning they typically consist of independent housing units or apartments rather than hospital-like rooms. Residents usually have the option of a shared or private room, suites or apartments in houses or complexes that vary in size.

Tip #4 — In-person visits are the best way to evaluate whether a particular facility is right for a loved one. When visiting a facility, interview staff members and residents, then review your options and potential choices with your loved one's physician to ensure that her/his needs will be met appropriately. Geriatric care managers may also be a helpful resource in reviewing your options and decisions.

Caregivers also should know that costs vary from facility to facility. Rates for assisted living may be uniform at a facility or they may be adjusted for each resident based on the level of care required. While the national average cost for a one-bedroom unit is approximately $2,500 per month, this can vary dramatically depending on geographic location. In some states, the average cost can be considerably higher.

Additionally, some services that a facility provides cost extra. These services generally include medications and medical supplies; physical therapy and some other skilled health services; health and beauty aids; utilities (e.g., cable, telephone); special meal and snack services; transportation, barber/beautician services; pet services. Government funding may be available to help with costs. This funding is available through programs such as Supplemental Security Income (funded by finances from general government revenues), Social Services Block Grants (a state-initiated program that provides financial assistance to qualified individuals) and Medicaid waivers (designed to provide states with the flexibility to cover some supportive services previously not covered by Medicaid). Caregivers should check with the Social Security Administration, local or state Medicaid Offices, and other government agencies regarding eligibility.

Dr. Barney Spivack's medical career spans more than 25 years, with a focus on the care of older adults, chronic disease, and long-term care. Prior to joining LifeCare, he was the Director of Medical Services at Waveny Care Network in New Canaan, Connecticut. Before that, he was Director of Geriatric Medicine at Norwalk and Stamford Hospitals. Dr. Spivack also is active in the American Medical Directors Association and is Founding President of the Connecticut Geriatrics Society.