Thank you.Nonnie, so very sorry to read about the loss of your husband.
I don't want to derail this thread but I have another observation. Since my community is very small, only 90 or so (70 units but as folks age, couples become singles; there also are 33 memory care units on the same campus but in a separate building) I'm not sure how transferable my observation is. I've lived here almost 4 1/2 years and in that time there has only been one resident who found it necessary to move to a nursing home. The focus here is on being able to live here until death. The facility has a hospice waiver which allows hospice patients to remain. For an additional fee, care staff is available for daily light housekeeping (weekly housekeeping is included), laundry, assistance with bathing or other ADLs, medication management, etc. Folks can also hire outside caregivers with approval.
Several folks a year move to memory care either here or another community in our city. Every so often someone needing memory care will decide to move closer to their family in another city or state. We are a Type C CCRC community or Fee-for-Service Contract and with escalating costs and rent increases since the pandemic that some folks didn't budget for, every year or so someone leaves because of budget reasons.
My point is that for someone who is single or becomes single, an independent living community is ideal. We have a robust roster of resident volunteers who will help temporarily with shopping, transportation (The facility provides transportation 7 days a week between 9:00 to 5:00 within a 10 mi radius), companionship, technical assistance, pet care, etc. Residents can provide personal references to local fiduciaries or care managers who will handle everything from current bill paying to being a current POA to coordination of medical & financial matters pre and post death. I don't know whether my community is unusual or not with all these resources but I certainly hope not. It's great to have family, especially local family but if one does not have family or they are not geographically close, independent living can be a great resource.
I wanted to move in to take advantage of the resources and amenities while I was still healthy. One can continue to have a robust life outside the community and continue with hobbies and travel. Many octogenarians travel or cruise multiple times a year as do a few nanogenarians--two nanogenarian couple friends just stopped road trips last year!
Statistics: Posted by nonnie — Fri May 17, 2024 11:03 pm — Replies 49 — Views 4316