Our Decision Guide is designed to help answer questions you may have when considering a move to a senior living community. It is also intended to help you communicate openly with your family and friends. The questions and information below provide a useful way to affirm your decision and to begin discussions with others about your future plans.

 I feel like I will be giving up my independence if I move to a Retirement Community.

This is a very common thought as seniors start to consider their retirement options.  Living in a community actually promotes one’s independence by offering services that allow you to save your energy for more enjoyable things.  Imagine having your own chef, housekeeper and personal trainer, plus access to all of the other fine amenities available.  Community amenities are designed to take the pressure off of you and allow much more time for hobbies, interests and new friends.  Residents have actually said they feel more independent after moving to the community than they did in their own homes because they are free to enjoy life.

 I’m afraid I won’t get to see my friends or do all the things I enjoy doing now.  I don’t want to sit around all day and do nothing.

Moving to an independent apartment is living just like you are now; it’s just a change of address.  Community life offers many amenities and social opportunities that promote friendships and purpose.  You don’t need to give up anything you are doing now.  Most people bring their interests, share them with others and even start to take on new things.  Card games, book discussion groups, creative crafts and activities are just some of the things that will all be available to fill your day.  Friends will love visiting you in your new home and are treated like part of the family by our friendly staff.

 I heard we give all our money towards an entrance fee to get in there.

There is great value to a community that has an entrance fee.  Once you qualify both medically and financially to live in an independent living apartment, you are taken care of for life.  With all the apartments and care areas on one campus, transitioning to the next level of care is smooth and very supportive.  The entrance fee may be 90% refundable or non-refundable depending on the financial program you select, however, all options offer an abundance of monetary savings as one’s needs change and more help is required.  It’s security for your future and peace of mind for yourself and your family.

 I have so much stuff to get rid of, a home to sell, where do I start?

This decision is a big one, there are a lot of steps in the process, but remember it’s a process!  Let the experts help you through everything and break it down for you one item at a time.  There are a number of resources and services to help ease the transition.  At some point in time everyone has to go through downsizing, it isn’t easy but it can be simplified and organized.  With age and health, the longer you wait the harder it will be, so get started.  Remember many of the items in your home are already here waiting for you so you don’t need your treadmill or hundreds of books.

I’m healthy and I get by now, I don’t need that yet.

This is a risky way of thinking.  It’s like saying I will only make a move if I have a health crisis.  Yikes!  Who is going to feel like moving then?  Basically, when health has worsened, there is a burden put on someone else for support and decision making.  By coming to a community healthy and of sound mind, you will get to choose where you want to enjoy your retirement years.  You will be able to take advantage of all the wonderful amenities and friendly people.  Statistics prove that community residents live healthier and longer lives because of the stimulating options and camaraderie of neighbors.

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Welcome to a new era in senior living. Recent groundbreaking research from NORC at the University of Chicago, funded by NIC, is changing how we see senior living communities, including the ones we operate here at ABHM. By studying older adults who moved into these communities in 2017, the research uncovered surprising—and reassuring—insights into their health and longevity. Get ready to rethink aging and senior living.

A Longer Lease on Life
Let’s talk numbers. The study found that people who made the move to senior living communities lived, on average, more than a week longer than their counterparts living in the greater community.

More Than Four Walls: Access to Vital Care
Senior housing isn’t just about providing a roof overhead; it’s about fostering an environment where residents can thrive. And part of that thriving comes from access to essential healthcare services. The study revealed that people in senior living communities received a notable uptick in home health care services—10 days more, to be exact—compared to their peers living elsewhere. From routine check-ups to more specialized care, this increased access ensures that residents have the support they need to stay healthy.

It doesn’t stop there. Individuals in senior living communities received an additional four days of preventative and rehabilitative health services at home. This proactive approach to health management not only addresses issues as they arise but also works to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

Less Reliance on Meds, More Emphasis on Well-Being
In a world where medications often seem like the go-to solution for every ailment, it’s refreshing to see a different approach emerging within senior living. The study found that residents spent three fewer days on anti-psychotic medications compared to those living elsewhere. This is a shift toward a more balanced, personalized approach to care—one that treats the individual, not just the symptoms.

Finding Balance: Independence and Support
The study revealed that those in senior living communities spent a similar amount of time away from home for high-acuity care as seniors dwelling elsewhere. In other words, residents enjoy the best of both worlds: the independence to live life on their terms, coupled with the peace of mind knowing that support is there when they need it.

Redefining What It Means to Age Gracefully
Senior living communities are prioritizing access to vital care, promoting preventative measures, and fostering a sense of community and support. As our population continues to age, this a message worth celebrating!

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Three elderly men laughing and playing cards

The prospect of adding new friendships can bring a lot of joy to some folks but to others in post retirement, making new friends can be challenging. Especially if you’ve moved closer to your adult children and grandchildren. While happy about having more support from your family, leaving a circle of lifelong friends can be lonely.

Let’s face it, our closest friends know everything about us, our secrets, our stories, our families so we don’t have to tell our backstory each time we meet. This “short-hand” conversation style takes a while to create and it can be overwhelming to start all over again in a new place.

Most of us haven’t made new friends since we were in school, but research studies have repeatedly shown that having an active social life is essential to older adults’ physical and mental health.

If you or someone you know is reluctant to socialize, encourage them to start small and take their time. After all, a person’s best friend doesn’t become one overnight! Here are some helpful tips for making new friends:

1. Join in.
Take the pressure off one-on-one conversations and join a group, club, or activities where you can find others who share your interests. Religious congregations, exercise classes or your communities’ activities calendar is a great place to start.

2. Manage expectations for new friendships.
Making quality friendships takes time, so try to be patient. Show genuine interest but then give a new friendship the time and space to develop naturally.

3. Dine with a variety of people.
Meal times at a senior living community are the hub of social engagement. If it feels intimidating to walk in alone, locate a staff member who can help you locate new folks to dine with each day.

4. Keep an open mind.
Many folks are surprised by the new life they find in a senior living community. Be open to making friends with people you meet, even those who might not seem like someone you would mix with. Community life inherently offers a common ground that can be the basis for a potential friendship. Say “hi” in the hallways, greet new residents when they move in and spend some time in the common areas.

5. Make friends with the staff.
A senior living community at its best is a family. While staff members must maintain professional boundaries, these intergenerational friendships benefit everyone. Generally, the staff know everyone in the community and can help introduce you to other residents.

6. To have a friend, you have to be a friend.
Put the other person first and be a good listener, ask lots of questions, and get to know the other person. Think about how you can be helpful to the other person, and show up for them when they need you.

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Our Decision Guide is designed to help you make good decisions for your future or that of a loved one. There are many factors to consider — financial security, ongoing healthcare, and overall safety and well-being. Our guide offers many answers, however as you go through this process please feel free to contact us anytime should you require more information.

Assisted Living Concerns

Often adult children are suddenly required to make living arrangements for their parents that include moving to safer surroundings. Helping loved ones make good decisions about their future can often be stressful and at times even overwhelming. We understand and have gathered the following information to help you make the best decision and assist you through the process. We offer information and answer several key questions that are often asked, and hope this will help you create a plan that makes sense for you and your loved one.

What is Assisted Living?

Our assisted living apartments combine easy to maintain housing and personal care in a beautiful residential setting. Trained staff is available 24 hours a day to provide support for those who need assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and medications, but do not yet require complex medical services. Residents enjoy delicious, freshly-prepared noon and evening meals each day and a variety of snacks. The private assisted living apartments feature a living room, bedroom, a private bathroom with walk-in shower, and a kitchenette with an apartment-size refrigerator and microwave for quick and easy preparation of meals and snacks. Assisted living apartments share spacious common areas that include a living room, dining room and activity spaces. Assisted Living residents also enjoy the many on-campus amenities that are available.

How do I know when it’s time for Assisted Living?

Safety first! If the home or current living situation is cause for concern, it’s time to consider a change and assisted living may be the answer. Signs you should watch for that indicate a change is needed are: personal hygiene changes, clothes worn repeatedly or not laundered, confusion with medications, poor nutrition, reoccurring falls, isolation and/or forgetfulness. If you have noticed any of these symptoms consider moving your loved one to a community where they can receive the services and benefits of specialized care and you have peace of mind. Before moving to assisted living, residents are given a full comprehensive nursing assessment to determine the level of care needed, this will also provide pertinent information to help guide needed decisions.

Continuing Care Retirement Community

As a CCRC, we feature several levels of care and living services.  Residents in our rehabilitation area have the convenience of moving from their rehab stay directly to our assisted living, should they require that level of care. The transition is quick, easy and relaxed because residents and family are in familiar surroundings and much of the paperwork is already in place.

What about Memory Care?

For seniors with memory concerns, we memory care. This area of the community serves those with Alzheimer’s or other cognitive impairments. They have private apartments with their own private bathroom.

How do I approach my loved one about moving to Assisted Living?

Often when adult children contact us, it’s after or during a healthcare crisis, hospital stay, during a rehab stay or a drastic health decline. In this situation you can rely on healthcare professionals to recommend the best setting for your family member. They have the ability to properly assess and help determine what the needs really are. The decision for the health and safety of your loved one should, of course, take precedence over the desire to return to the home of 50 years with all the memories and the multiple, unused, china sets. The recommendation and the expression of your own concern for their safety and well-being will set your family on the right course. After a decision is made family members find a sense of relief and can return to being the son or the daughter, rather than being the caretaker who is overwhelmed. Assisted Living offers residents opportunity to remain as independent as possible while enjoying the security of 24-hour assistance if needed.

Avoiding a Crisis – It’s important to know you don’t need to wait for a crisis or accident to consider a move to Assisted Living. Many residents and families tour our community and learn about the program and see apartments long before any kind of health issue arises. Once they see our assisted living wing and meet the happy residents their concerns are put aside and they welcome the change. Making the transition under these conditions is more desirable and less stressful than having to react to an emergency situation.

I want peace of mind knowing my loved one is safe and secure.

We provide around-the-clock services and observation. This means you can be assured our staff is there to support your loved one and keep you informed. For each new resident we create an individualized care plan that monitors their well-being, and if changes do occur we are able to adapt and make certain they are attended to immediately and appropriately.

Personal care in assisted living typically includes:
  • Staff available to respond to both scheduled and unscheduled needs
  • Assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, and walking
  • Access to health and medical services, such as physical therapy and hospice
  • Emergency call systems for each resident’s apartment plus a personal pendant
  • Medication management
  • Care for residents with cognitive impairment
  • Social services and Pastoral care

The majority of senior communities charge month-to-month rates.  Several of the primary factors that determine rates are apartment size and level of care or service needed by the resident. When looking at options it’s important to know what you are getting for your dollar.

Assisted living provides the opportunity for continued socialization and activities, balanced nutrition, and the peace of mind that assistance is always nearby. The basic monthly assisted living rate includes a majority of personal services and meals. Learn more about payment options by visiting our Financial Information page.

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For seniors still able to travel, the holidays may be the one time each year they get to see far-away family members in person. It’s a special opportunity—one that many seniors look forward to all year long. However, holiday travel can be stressful and exhausting even for those in the prime of their youth. If you’re planning a holiday airplane trip with an aging relative, making appropriate arrangements ahead of time will help the experience go more smoothly for everyone.

Before the Trip

  • Book nonstop flights – Changing planes adds complication, extends the overall travel time, and increases the risk of missed flights or delays.
  • Choose an appropriate departure time – Many seniors find it extra challenging to travel in the early morning or late evening. While these flights tend to be less expensive, a mid-day departure time is better for everyone’s energy levels.
  • Request accessibility options – All airlines offer accessibility services such as wheelchair service, assistance with boarding, and accessible seat assignments. Some allow you to request these services while booking, while others require you to contact the airline prior to departure. Research what’s available for the airline you’ll be flying on and make the necessary arrangements.
  • Pack insurance cards – Of course, you hope for everyone to be healthy over the holidays. But in case something happens and your loved one needs medical attention, you want to be prepared. Having insurance cards at the ready will be one less thing you potentially have to worry about.

On the Travel Day

  • Carry on medications – There’s always a chance that the airline might lose your bags, so never store important medications or medical appliances in checked luggage. Pack them in your carry-on bag instead. It’s also a smart idea to bring copies of prescriptions in case a refill or a doctor’s visit is needed during the trip.
  • Bring a neck pillow for comfort – Most people have a crick in their neck or back when they get off a plane. Pack a travel neck pillow to make sure your elderly travel companion is comfortable during the flight, especially if the flight time is longer than one hour.
  • Request a wheelchair – Even if they don’t normally use a wheelchair, it’s a good idea to request one from the airport for a loved one with mobility issues. Most airports will provide wheelchairs for older passengers to get to their gates. The wheelchair will make navigating the airport together much less stressful for both of you.
  • Gate or Escort Passes – If you are not traveling with anyone, you can request a Gate Pass from your airline’s ticket counter in your local airport. This way one or more (depending on the airline) of your family members can go with you through security to your departing gate until your plane departs. Be sure to check with your airline prior to arriving at the airport to ensure availability and allow extra time to obtain this pass before departure time.
  • Prepare for security – Before the flight, discuss any medical devices that may set off TSA alarms, such as knee or hip implants. Alert the agent before going through security. Oftentimes, TSA agents will perform a wand screening for seniors rather than going through the sensors. In many cases, travelers in a wheelchair will also receive priority service from the TSA, so your security experience may be easier than usual!

Travelling with seniors can present some challenges, but if you prepare accordingly, you should both have a safe, comfortable, and worry-free trip. Happy holidays!

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National Family Caregivers Month has been spearheaded by the Caregiver Action Network since 1994 and formally recognized since 1997, when President Clinton signed the first annual NFC Month Presidential Proclamation.

NFC Month recognizes the more than 40 million caregivers taking care of aging parents, sick spouses, or other loved ones with illness or disability. Caregivers spend an average of 13 days every month on caregiving activities, equivalent to an economic value of $500 billion in unpaid services—three times more than annual Medicaid spending on long-term care. However, because it’s a labor of love, this hard work goes largely unseen and unrecognized for most of the year.

“Family caregivers have an immeasurable impact on the lives of those they assist, but their hours are long and their work is hard. Many put their own lives on hold to lift up someone close to them,” President Barack Obama said in his National Family Caregiver Month Proclamation in 2012. “National Family Caregivers Month is a time to reflect on the compassion and dedication that family caregivers embody every day.”

According to the Caregiver Action Network, November is our opportunity to celebrate the efforts of family caregivers, increase our support, raise awareness for caregiver issues, and educate caregivers about self-identification. The 2019 theme for NFC Month is #BeCareCurious. This theme encourages caregivers to be proactive and engaged when it comes to their loved one’s care, whether that’s in the doctor’s office, in the hospital, or at home.

This month, make an extra effort to #BeCareCurious about:

  • Your Loved One’s Goals: Having hard conversations about treatment goals in the face of a serious disease is challenging for everyone involved, but these discussions are necessary to ensure your loved one is receiving the care they really want.
  • Treatment Options: If your loved one isn’t responding well to their current treatment, ask their doctor about other options. When you’re not feeling well, it can be hard to be your own advocate. That’s why they’re lucky to have you in the room with them.
  • Research: The internet is a great resource for understanding the basics of a loved one’s condition, but it can also be a mess of conflicting and inaccurate advice. Don’t stop at Google. Follow up with your loved one’s doctors to get the full picture.
  • The Care Plan: After a loved one is discharged from the hospital, most of the follow-up care will happen at home. Make sure you understand what they will need in the weeks to come. Ask questions about medications, care procedures, and future appointments.
  • Coverage: Be vocal when it comes to insurance coverage and do your research to fully understand the ins and outs of your loved one’s plan. This will make life easier for you and will help avoid any expensive surprises.

Acting as a family caregiver is not an easy job. It adds stress and complication to your life no matter how willingly and lovingly the care is given. But as they say, knowledge is power. The more you know about your loved one’s goals, needs, and situation, the more confident and capable you’ll feel as their caregiver.

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