Your Top 5 Assisted Living Questions Answered

Every week we receive many questions from prospective residents. We have recognized that those top questions are almost always the same regardless of the individual’s circumstances. Below we answer these most asked questions and for more see our article on ‘Important Questions To Ask When Looking For Assisted Living‘ for a more complete list of questions to ask.

Here are the top questions and answers to your questions.

1. How Does Your Community Navigate COVID-19?

At The Arbors/Ivy, the health and safety of our residents, staff, visitors, and families is our top priority. We’ve been vigilant about observing all safety protocols every step of the way as we’ve navigated this pandemic. We want to assure you of our continued commitment to protecting the health and safety of our employees, partners, residents, families, guests, visitors, and the members of The Arbors and Ivy Assisted Living Communities we serve.

We require all of our employees to be fully vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19, and the majority of our residents are vaccinated. Visitors will be screened when they enter the community. Face coverings will be required unless it is a fully vaccinated visitor visiting a fully vaccinated resident in an approved area.

We are currently conducting both in-person and virtual tours depending on what you are comfortable with. Family members are able to visit with their loved ones in their rooms. Our programs are up and running and the dining room is open for all meals while maintaining an appropriate social distance.

 

2. Is It Expensive?

Assisted living is an investment in your loved one’s care and quality of life. The decision to move to a community shouldn’t be taken lightly. You should do your research, compare communities and compare costs and value amongst your top choices.

It is also important to compare the costs of living at home compared to the costs of living in an assisted living community. You can use our cost comparison guide tool to compare the cost of living at home with that of living in a community.

The Arbors has always been conscientious that everyone has a different financial situation. This is why we have implemented a variety of programs to be able to offer our residents in order for residents with less income and assets are still able to enjoy the same services as everyone else.

If you aren’t sure whether you would be eligible for subsidized pricing, reach out to your local community to discuss options that are right for you. There are other financial strategies to discuss such as Veterans’ Programs, Companion Apartments, Affordable Programs, Long Term Care Insurances and more.

 

3. What is a Respite Apartment?

Respite apartments are for those who are unsure whether assisted living is the right decision for them. It is also referred to as a trial stay. Our trial stay option gives prospective residents an opportunity to experience our assisted living communities without the commitment. A trial stay can also be beneficial if your loved one is hesitant about assisted living and isn’t sure what to expect. It can be a nice way to get a foot in the door and warm up to the experiences and amenities that make assisted living so wonderful. This option not only gives the resident a taste of all the facility has to offer but also allows for socialization and an opportunity to trial the community.

A Respite or trial stay option also allows their loved one or caregivers the ability to take a break, travel or deal with other obligations. It can also be used if a caregiver has a medical situation or they are unable to care for their loved one while they heal. Caregiver burnout is a real concern, and we can’t properly care for our loved ones if we ourselves have taken on too much.

 

4. Will I Lose My Independence?

Assisted living communities are a great option for older adults who can live independently, but also may require some assistance. At The Arbors/Ivy, residents enjoy their independence in a supportive environment surrounded by friends and neighbors, with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that 24/7 care is available. Assisted living will give you a quality of life that you may not otherwise have staying at home.

Our residents have the privacy of their own apartments, with their own belongings and no responsibilities or household duties to complete. Residents enjoy delicious meals that they don’t have to prepare, and have the choice to attend a variety of programs that range from physical, educational to spiritual with a lot of fun mixed in!

Our residents can have their own cars and come and go as they please, and they can vacation with their families and have visits anytime they want. Our residents build friendships and find camaraderie amongst their peers. They find a sense of belonging where their circle of friends have been through similar experiences and are in the same phase of life.

 

5. What If My Loved One Needs More Care?

At The Arbors/Ivy, we always include one hour of care in the base package. However, as our residents age in place, they may require more care and more assistance throughout the day or evening. If that is the case, we have available care packages you can add on for additional time to be spent on those necessary Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). ADLs include bathing, dressing, toileting, ambulation, escorts to meals or activities, and much more.

The Arbors and Ivy Communities offer medication management services as well. We offer Self-Administered Medication Management (SAMM), which is when we remind and assist the residents in taking their medications at the designated times they need their medication; and we also offer Limited Medication Administration (LMA), which is more comprehensive and is administered by a nurse.

Under LMA we can help with eye drops, pain patches, inhalers, ointments, crushing medications and more. These are services that are not provided under SAMM. Unfortunately, the services provided under LMA are not available at all communities. The assisted living community must be approved to provide these services by the state.

*(Please note LMA may not be available at all locations, inquire for more information).

At the Arbors, residents can enjoy their lives independently in a community with friends and neighbors, with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that 24/7 care is always available. Our community is a place where you can feel at home and be treated like family.