Whether you or a loved one are considering moving into a senior living facility, it’s a complicated decision accompanied by plenty of questions: What senior care services do facilities provide? What senior care services are right for my situation? What assisted living levels of care can I expect?
Our mission is to provide you with the resources you need to decide which senior care services and levels of care are right for you, regardless of whether or not you decide to join Senior Lifestyle’s nationwide network of family owned senior communities.
Senior Lifestyle classifies its levels of care under six different options for senior care services: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, Affordable Housing, and Short-Term Care.
Independent Living
Independent Living services offer residents the freedom to live their lives as they see fit. Our dedicated staff work to accommodate their residents’ unique needs. Independent Living is meant to combine the familiar comforts of home with the excitement of new experiences, and then some. After
settling into a Senior Lifestyle Community, our residents often wonder why they did not make the decision to move sooner.
Assisted Living
The Assisted Living plans at Senior Lifestyle add another layer of service to our Independent Living program. Our Assisted Living Services are designed for residents who value their independence but
could still use a hand with everyday activities. Senior Lifestyle’s trained staff is available to help with every need; our team can assist with bathing, with dressing, and with medication. Residents in the Assisted Living program all meet with a licensed nurse to create a personalized service plan so we can support them as they continue to pursue their passions.
Download The Complete Guide to Senior Housing
Every senior has their own set of wants and needs, so retirement communities offer differing levels of care, services, and amenities. Read our eBook for a detailed look at what retirement communities provide.
Download the GuideMemory Care
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia take a heavy toll on those battling the devastating disease and their loved ones, but Senior Lifestyle has dedicated specialists that work with residents, their families, and staff to ensure care is comprehensive and tailored to the individual. Residents who benefit from
our memory care services live in communities specifically designed to strike a balance between safety and engagement in common areas and exterior courtyards.
Skilled Nursing
Most Senior Lifestyle communities are equipped to offer senior care services and levels of care to fit a wide range of needs. Our staff members care for
residents that need post-surgical rehab, wound care, cognitive and pain management, and general practitioners services. Please call your local community or visit the skilled nursing page on our website for a complete list of services.
Affordable Housing
The Senior Suites program is a nationally recognized prototype for
affordable senior housing. The communities are designed for independent, older adults. Unlike traditional programs, our affordable housing offers daily programs, transportation services, a la carte dining and daily check-in programs. The program is made possible by private donations and a combination of municipal, state, and federal funding. Please
visit our website to see if you or a loved one is eligible to receive these services.
Short Term Care
Designed for those wishing to give our communities a try without a more long-term commitment, short-term senior care services are perfect for introducing someone to the Senior Lifestyle community, temporary rehabilitation assistance, or to
lend a hand if a regular caregiver is unavailable. We also offer trial stays to test if long-term care is right for you or your loved one. The guest program is an immersive experience that allows people to get a feel for Senior Lifestyle’s level of care.
Every community has its own unique identity, but each level of care, even at the base rate, typically supplements a variety of amenities, some of which include a delicious dining experience, stimulating and engaging life enrichment programs, optional routine laundry and housekeeping services, transportation service to local attractions and physicians, and so much more.
No matter what level of care you or your loved one requires, Senior Lifestyle is here to welcome you and your family home. Visit our website or stop by your local Senior Lifestyle community to get more information.
How Different Levels of Care Affect The Cost of Assisted Living
Updated on July 29, 2021 Senior Health Tips
CareChoice Updated on July 29, 2021 Senior Health Tips
Just as each family is different, the timing for the move to an assisted living facility can vary for each elderly adult. As you explore care options for your family member, you may be wondering about the different levels of assisted living and the care that they offer.
It’s natural to want to choose a senior living facility that will offer the best level of care both now and in the future as your loved one’s needs change. If you are unsure when is the time for assisted living, CareChoice can help.
Understanding assisted living levels of care is an important part of the timing decision. But they can seem a bit confusing at first glance. In this article, we will explain the different care levels and what they offer to help you make the right decision for your family.
Assisted living provides elderly adults personalized care in a residential setting. Caregivers are available 24 hours a day to help with normal daily activities in a way that maintains and promotes independence. Assisted living also offers residents a healthy lifestyle with plenty of opportunities for social engagement.
One of the many advantages of assisted living is that residents can have a care plan that fits them and can adapt to their needs. In the meantime, they can maintain their independence by living in a home-like environment.
In senior care facilities, the phrase “level of care” refers to the amount of help a resident needs with daily living activities, such as getting in and out of bed or getting dressed. Levels of care for elderly also include health-related assistance, including giving medication reminders and monitoring health conditions such as hypertension or diabetes.
A resident’s care level influences many aspects of their assisted living experience, including the kinds of help they receive, who provides the care, how often they offer it, and the cost of this care.
Assisted living administrators use these care designations to ensure they have enough trained staff members on duty to meet residents’ requirements. For instance, a facility with many residents who need help getting to and from the dining room must make sure it has enough staff on hand at mealtimes.
By 2030, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that one in five Americans will be age 65 and older.
Those numbers mean that senior living is a broad and growing industry in this country and indeed across the globe. Although the industry is not strictly regulated and services can vary from facility to facility, there are a number of standard care services assisted living communities provide to their residents across the U.S.
Elderly care facilities provide help with the following daily living activities:
- Eating. This category can include anything from helping a resident get to and from the dining room to assisting with feeding.
- Dressing. The range here is from zipping a zipper or buttoning some buttons to helping someone choose and put on their clothes each day.
- Grooming. Some residents may need help with shaving or washing their hair.
- Bathing. Slips and falls often occur in the bathroom. Caregivers can be on hand to help a resident in and out of the bath or shower or actually help with the bathing process.
- Walking. Assisted living residents can vary significantly in terms of their mobility. Caregivers can do anything from pushing a wheelchair to gently holding an elbow, depending on the resident’s needs.
- Continence Management. Incontinence is a common part of the aging process, and the level of help the older adults need can vary greatly from person to person.
- Regular Wellness Checks and Medication Reminders. Taking prescribed medication regularly and at the right time is essential for health. Caregivers can help with reminders.
Here are some of the other general services most (not all) senior care facilities offer. These non-essential services help residents enjoy a quality of life that, in many cases, is better than when they were living at home.
- Nutritious meals three times a day (including any special dietary needs)
- Transportation (typically to and from appointments and shopping)
- Housekeeping and laundry services
- Beauty and barber services
- Individualized health and safety services
- Activities, classes, and enrichment programs
- Outings and cultural events in the community
As you narrow down your choices for an assisted living community, it’s critical to ask questions about the level of care for seniors each one offers and how those services affect the cost.
We recommend that you make a list of questions to ask when you speak with administrators and tour the facility. Our recent article on how to choose the best assisted living facility will give you more information on this important topic.
Now that you understand the need for assisted living levels of care, you may be wondering how a facility determines what level is right for each resident.
Each care plan begins with a full assessment of your parent’s mobility, fine motor skills, and existing medical conditions. Typically, a nurse from the assisted living facility will meet with you and your parent to conduct the testing. You often will have to complete a questionnaire that asks about any chronic conditions or health concerns. Then, the assessment will include physical tests and observations that help the nurse evaluate your parent’s balance, movement, and agility.
Here are some of the daily tasks and activities the assessment will consider in how to determine level of care for elderly residents.
The nurse will evaluate your parent’s gait, stance, and ability to stand up and sit down. If your parent uses a mobility aid, such as a cane, walker, or wheelchair, the nurse will observe how it helps them accomplish routine tasks. In some cases, someone who already uses a wheelchair or other device is able to move more independently than someone who does not.
The needs of elderly adults can vary greatly when it comes to bathing. Some residents are able to shower and bathe entirely on their own, while others need assistance getting in and out of the tub. Still others may need reminders that it is time to take a shower.
Here is another area that may require different levels of care. Some residents are able to put their clothes on, but they just need help with buttons and zippers. Others may lack the ability to select the right clothes for the weather or the occasion and require some assistance putting them on as well.
Our manual dexterity and range of motion can decline as we age, making some grooming tasks challenging. Assistance with personal grooming tasks can include teeth brushing, hair combing and arranging, and shaving.
Does your loved one need some help getting to the bathroom or with personal hygiene after using the bathroom? Toileting help is another aspect of assisted living care to consider. In terms of incontinence, some assisted living residents are able to manage this condition successfully on their own, while others may need help in changing protective garments.
Once again, this level of care can vary widely among assisted living residents. Some can handle mealtime independently, while others may lack the dexterity of upper body strength to cut their own food or feed themselves.
Many assisted living residents take daily medications. Some residents may need reminders to take their medication at the right time, while others may need help in administering injections.
As you can see, some assisted living residents need a lower level of care than others. The assessment will help the facility determine where your parent fits in on this spectrum and choose a care plan that works for everyone’s best interests.
The atmosphere at an assisted living facility is quite unlike what many people associate with the nursing homes of the past. Residents enjoy the benefits of having their own homes and plenty of opportunities for social engagement. Some communities even have a resort-like environment. At the same time, family members have the assurance that help is nearby if their loved one needs it.
However, because of this residential environment, elderly care facilities are not as tightly regulated as skilled nursing facilities. In fact, the different levels of assisted living and how they are defined can vary according to each facility.
Generally speaking, levels of care for elderly assisted living residents fall into four categories:
- Level One: The lowest amount of care
- Level Two: A moderate amount of care
- Level Three: A high amount of care
- Memory Care: A separate floor or unit that serves as a memory care facility
Now, let’s look at each of these levels in a little more depth.
Assisted living residents who are at Level One require the least amount of caregiving. They can move independently or with an assistive device or wheelchair and can eat on their own.
Level One residents have no memory loss and can easily communicate with assisted living staff and their neighbors. Although they may require incontinence products, these residents can manage toileting on their own.
These individuals may need someone to manage their medications, take their blood sugar levels, or perform other health-related tests, but their need for medical monitoring is not complex.
Level Two residents need a little more support with daily tasks than Level One residents, but they still can take care of many routine activities independently.
A Level Two resident may need help getting to and from the dining room, but they can eat on their own, for example. Or, they may need help getting into and out of a wheelchair throughout the day, but they can move easily from room to room when in the wheelchair.
Part of Level Two care may include regular medication reminders and medication administration.
Assisted living residents who need regular hands-on help from caregivers are considered to be at Level Three. These elderly adults may need catheter assistance, ostomy care, wound care, or behavioral care.
Level Three residents may be unable to walk or wheel independently, and they may require extensive help with dressing, bathing, or toileting. These residents also may exhibit early signs of memory loss or may be at a high risk for falling or other health and safety concerns.
Additionally, a Level Three resident may need close monitoring for complex medical needs.
Many assisted living communities offer a memory care facility for residents living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. These special units have a staff that is specially trained in working with people with memory loss and the skilled care that they need.
Memory care units offer opportunities for activities that are designed to keep the brain active and help slow cognitive decline. These programs seek to preserve the dignity of all residents who live in an Alzheimer’s facility. Some assisted living communities feature support groups for family members who are dealing with a loved one’s cognitive decline.
There are some variables that come into play. For example, some areas of the country are less expensive than others. Monthly fees can vary widely from state to state, city to city, and even community to community. Assisted living facilities in large metropolitan areas tend to be more expensive than those in less densely populated locations.
In addition to location, the levels of care for seniors factor into the cost of assisted living. As you might expect, the greater the need for assistance, the higher the cost. If you’re considering a move to an assisted living community, it’s important to think about your finances and how to pay for the senior care over the long term. Keep in mind that the amount of care your parent needs is likely to change over time. That means your costs will go up as well.
When you talk with an administrator at an assisted living community, ask for a clear description of all fees and costs for the services your parent needs. You can use this information to help you develop a budget for the next 12 months and beyond.
The two fee categories that assisted living communities typically use are an all-inclusive flat fee and an à la carte plan in which residents pay for select services. Let’s look at how these two structures differ and when you would want to choose them.
Assisted living facilities with an all-inclusive price structure require one monthly payment that covers everything from room rental, three meals a day, utilities, activities, transportation, housekeeping, and generally the first level of personal care and assistance. In this situation, everyone pays the same fee regardless of what features they use.
Assisted living facilities that use the all-inclusive pricing model spread the total cost of services among all residents. With this model, it makes sense that some residents pay more than they would with a la carte pricing while others pay less.
The advantage to the resident and the resident’s family, however, is that all-inclusive pricing makes budgeting easy. Some residents like that they don’t have to worry about whether they eat a meal in their residence or in the dining room or if they drive their own car or take the facility's bus to an appointment. They like to know they have the flexibility to choose the option that works best for them at the time.
If you are considering an all-inclusive facility, be sure to ask what expenses are included. Some all-inclusive facilities have limits each month on what is included, and others charge for certain ancillary expenses.
With an à la carte pricing structure, assisted living residents choose their services and pay for only those services each month.
An active resident may not want to pay for services they don’t use. This structure might work well for seniors who want to cook their own meals or drive their own cars, for example.
What happens if your parent begins with one level of pricing and then later discovers that it makes better sense to switch to another? Some facilities allow you to add or remove services each month, and others require a longer-term agreement. Be sure to ask questions if you are thinking about this structure so that you can budget accordingly.
One of the best parts of making the move to assisted living is the peace of mind it offers your entire family. You’ll be able to breathe more easily knowing someone is there 24-hours to step in if your parent needs help. And your loved one will enjoy the independence of living in a community of friendly neighbors and caring staff members.
However, it’s essential to remember that, just as the changes in your parent’s health and well-being caused you to consider assisted living in the first place, their needs will continue to change as time goes on. While assisted living facilities are home to people with a wide range of needs, sometimes a skilled nursing facility or an Alzheimer's facility can become a better fit down the road.
In a skilled nursing facility, trained medical staff provides full-time care to residents. These facilities are the right choice for people who need a higher level of care, either for the short term or the long term, than what an assisted living team can provide.
To make sure assisted living is still the best choice, you and the assisted living staff will need to regularly observe and reevaluate your elderly parent’s needs. As a result, you can expect periodic reassessments and revisions to your care plan as needed. That way, your parent will continue to receive the best possible care.
At CareChoice, we know that making the move to assisted living is not an easy decision.
By the time you decided to read this article, you’ve probably already done hours of research, given a great deal of thought to your parent’s best interests, talked with your parents about assisted living facilities, and carefully considered what you can afford. You’re also busy juggling your work schedule and your own family’s needs. It can be a stressful time. The good news is that CareChoice is here to help from this point on.
If you have determined that a senior living community is the option for your family and budget, we offer a range of free services to help you find the best facility for your loved one. From helping to schedule tours to coordinating the move-in process, we will be with you every step of the way. Call CareChoice today, and let us know how we can help you.
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“As an elder law attorney, I frequently refer to Rachael and her fantastic team at CareChoice when serving families who need help locating the best assisted living facility for a loved one. CareChoice is very adept at identifying a list of facilities to visit based upon a person's needs, geographic region, and budget.”