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ASSISTED LIVING HOMES & NURSING HOMES NOT THE SAME

Family Nursing Home Visit via ElderAuthority

There is a difference between an assisted living home and a nursing home.  If you are searching for a facility that will provide some level of care for a loved one, make sure you know the difference.  It will save you money and time. Most importantly, choosing the correct type of facility for your elder’s needs can make all the difference in his or her safety, health, and happiness.
UNDERSTAND ADLs
The ability of an elder to manage… More

MOVING TO ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IS TOUGH CALL

This video clearly shows the universal dilemma of whether to move an elder to assisted living.  It is clear and even-handed.
None of us expect to move our parents or move ourselves into an assisted living facility.  We look at every option before we choose that one.   Issues that can influence choosing an assisted living facility or not include the following:

Mental capabilities of resident
Safety of resident
Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) such as  grooming,… More

GROUP HOME JOBS AND HOLIDAY PRESENTS

GROUP HOME PROFESSIONALS AND SUPPORT STAFF
My mother lived at Lexington Place, a group home in Dallas, for the last 16 months of her life.   The number of residents varied from six to nine.  The staff worked in three shifts to provide around-the-clock coverage.  One aide worked the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift.
There were three to five certified nursing aides (CNA’s) who managed the hours from six a.m. to 10. pm.  This group helped with most of the ADL’s (Activities… More

ASSISTED LIVING BUSINESS: A CRISIS AND A GOLD RUSH?

GUARANTEED DEMAND
One of President Obama’s former senior advisors was famously quoted as saying, “A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”  While it may not yet qualify as a crisis, the tidal wave of aging baby boomers now moving into their senior years will create a huge surge in the need for assisted living.  From a business standpoint, the assisted living business is shaping up to be another California gold rush.  There will be lots of people making lots of money.
What… More

ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITIES

Many people do not realize that there is something in between living at home and moving to a nursing home.   This news program gives good insights into the positive reasons for moving to an assisted living community. There are a wide variety of choices, but,as always, you must do your homework.

 … More

NURSING HOMES: MAKING DECISIONS

There is a lot of useful, unbiased information in this video interview with Dr. Robert Weech-Maldonado, professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Health Services Administration.  He focuses on decision-making when it is time for a person to move to an assisted living facility and or a nursing home.
Editor’s Note: I disagree with “placing” a loved one in a nursing home.  It makes a human being sound like a vase or a sofa.  We need… More

RESEARCH ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES WITH GOOGLE

LOOK BEYOND THE THE PRETTY SETTING
I like the attached video because it shows you step-by-step how to use Google to research assisted living facilities for citations, violations, and inspection reports while sparing you from an infomercial.  While we tend to notice food, amenities, location, and services when we check out assisted living facilities, it is equally important to check out how the facility is rated by the state.
EACH STATE HAS ITS OWN SET OF REGULATIONS
Look at… More

ATRIA SENIOR LIVING ASSETS ACQUIRED BY VENTAS

Healthcare real estate investment trust Ventas Inc. acquired Atria Senior Living assets in 2010 for $3.1 Billion.  Atria has been privately held.… More

ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES IN FLORIDA: OMBUDSMAN VIDEO

ADVOCATE FOR ELDERLY
The work of the Long Term Care Ombudsman can be a life saver–literally–for those who do not have relatives who live nearby and visit often, .  You should check into the local ombudsman program if you have an elder in assisted living or a nursing home.  The service is free because ombudsmen are volunteers.   Additionally, volunteering as an ombudsman is deeply satisfying and provides a service for which there is a growing need.
A Day in… More

ASSISTED LIVING TAKES ON NEW MEANING

MUSINGS DURING THE MORNING RITUAL
I’m a bit of an old-school traditionalist about some things.  While my favorite baseball teams are in the American League, I still think the Designated Hitter is a bad idea that destroys many of the traditional strategies of The Great Game.  More central to my daily life, I’m fairly certain the world would spin off its axis if my day didn’t start with coffee and reading a real, printed newspaper.  In my case, two printed real newspapers;… More