Today’s presentation was by Rod Holst and Abe Welty of Adult Living Solutions. They remind us that there is no need for families or individuals to call, research, and visit dozens of facilities and communities to locate the appropriate setting.
Adult Living Solutions knows almost every facility in Eugene, Springfield, and surrounding areas in Oregon. They understand what they offer, whether they have openings, and can help determine which will be most appropriate for you or your loved one.
A few notes from the presentation:
- Free service to the client
- Specialists in finding independent and assisted living facilities
- There are over 180 different facilities in the Eugene/Springfield area
- ALS sits down to evaluate the person’s needs and matches those needs with appropriate communities
- ALS is paid by the community that a person commits to. There is no bias because ALS has agreements with nearly every community, excluding only those communities which ALS does not feel good about referring to.
- ALS will take clients on tours of potential facilities.
- Monthly costs/rent for facilities range from $1200 for independent facilities to $10,000 for skilled nursing facilities. In home care is often used prior to moving and this can be even more costly for the same amount of care. Those who need 10 or more hours of care a week can be $12-20,000 a month.
- Retirement communities are for active people who want independence but might also want a little more assistance with things like housekeeping, meal options, and who may want organized social activities.
- Assisted living relates to help with “activities of daily living” or “adl”. These include dressing, eating, hygiene, mobility and behavior. Typically apartments are private but there are nurses on staff all the time and facilities are secured. Meals are served in group settings.
- The next level of care are residential group communities, which are less private but more helpful for those with medical needs including medication management.
- Adult foster homes are smaller, usually in a private home. Residents have a bedroom rather than an apartment.
- Alzheimer and Memory Care communities are growing rapidly.
- There are many facilities who have different levels of care so that if two people want to live with or near each other, that is available.
- It’s important to plan ahead. Signs that care is needed include not being able to keep up with household maintenance, needing assistance with errands, needing help with personal care, or not being able to regularly cook healthy meals.
- Care can be paid for a variety of ways and it is important to plan ahead for that also, by buying a long term care policy. Medicaid only applies to those with very little assets. Most people end up accessing savings and assets in order to afford advanced care.
- Patient Care Advisors is a partner organization to Adult Living Solutions for in home care.