Choosing a place to live at any stage of life is an important decision. It is especially true when considering a new retirement address. You are seeking a lifestyle that offers freedom, enjoyment, and resources for healthy aging; thats why you want to take some time before visiting a senior living community to decide what matters most to you.At Heritage Communities, weve put together some suggestions on what to observe when visiting a senior living community. The right choice is out there!What to observe when visiting a senior living communityOverall appearance. As you approach the community, does it look well maintained? Is the landscaping healthy and trimmed? Once inside, note your impressionsdoes it seem clean and tidy, or are there signs of neglect? Its more than the physical appearance, its the atmosphere as well. You want to feel welcome right away. You also want to pick up on a positive, happy energy that invites you to learn more.Interactions. Pay attention to how staff and residents communicate with one another. Are they smiling and talking, or is there little interaction? Anytime you are visiting a senior living community, notice how people greet one another, whether they live or work there or are visiting. Its true that happy residents and happy staff go together. If its a great place to work, its most likely a great place to live, and vice versa.Amenities. You might want a community with a well-stocked library, a lively pub or an inviting outdoor patio where you can socialize with guests. Check to see if the community amenities feel inviting and up-to-date, and how popular they seem to be with residents. Dont forget conveniences such as a salon/barber shop, exercise space or wellness office.Remember, when visiting a senior living community, you are searching for a place that will feel like homebut without all the maintenance and work!Dining experience. Food is definitely an important item on your checklist. You will want to have a few meals at a community you are considering. For starters, ask for a sample menu and find out if dietary restrictions are considered. Observe the atmosphere in the main dining venue and whether residents seem to be enjoying themselves.Flexibility is important as wellcan residents eat when they choose? Sit where they choose? Is there a casual, grab n go venue as well as a more formal dining room?Choices. Maintaining a home, taking care of a family, working full-time and making sure everything is in order is often a 24/7 responsibility. Thats why now, as you consider having newfound freedom to plan your days as you wish, without all those worries, you want an environment that offers you lots of quality choices. Be sure when visiting a senior living community to ask for a calendar of events. Take a look: what appeals to you? Find out if you can start a group if you dont see it listed, such as a book club or knitting circle.Todays senior living communities offer a wide variety of activities, such as trivia, painting classes, yoga, discussions, concerts, movies, walking groups, excursions to area museums, galleries, lunch spots and more, exercise classes, happy hours, birthday parties, holiday celebrations, volunteering, and lots more. Of course, you can opt to just relax in your comfortable apartment with the latest mystery novel. The key is having choices and lots of them!Culture. Talk to the leadership of the community and ask what their goal is for residents. Do they follow a set of core values and are they committed to providing resources for healthy aging? Find out what the turnover rate is and ask about the communitys reputation. Does the staff undergo periodic retraining? Are residents involved in planning and decision-making?Find the senior living community that feels right for youYou can tell a great deal just by being around residents and staff, which is why in-person visits are so important. Be sure to observe if people seem to be having fun. At Heritage Communities, we believe everyones home should be a delight, so we make sure to infuse good times, laughter and rewarding relationships into residents lives as often as possible.Wed love to tell you more!

Protect What Matters Most!Life insurance may be one of the most important purchases you'll ever make. In the event of a tragedy, life insurance proceeds can help pay the bills, continue a family business, finance future needs like your children's education, protect your spouse's retirement plans, and much more. If you're considering securing you and your familys financial future, we would be happy to review your current situation and offer a few ideas on how you can protect it!Types of Life Insurance:Term Insurance is the most affordable type of insurance when initially purchased, is designed to meet temporary needs. It provides protection for a specific period of time (the "term") and generally pays a benefit only if you die during the term. This type of insurance often makes sense when you have a need for coverage that will disappear at a specific point in time. For instance, you may decide that you only need coverage until your children graduate from college or a particular debt is paid off, such as your mortgage.Final Expense Insurance is an insurance policy used to pay for funeral services and a burial when the named insured dies. Such a policy helps ease the financial burden placed on a family when a loved one dies.Universal Life Insurance was created to provide more flexibility than whole life insurance by allowing the policy owner to shift money between the insurance and savings components of the policy. Premiums, which are variable, are broken down by the insurance company into insurance and savings, allowing the policy owner to make adjustments based on their individual circumstances. For example, if the savings portion is earning a low return, it can be used instead of external funds to pay the premiums. Unlike whole life insurance, universal life allows the cash value of investments to grow at a variable rate that is adjusted monthly.Whole Life Insurance is a life insurance contract with level premiums that has both an insurance and an investment component. The insurance component pays a stated amount upon death of the insured. The investment component accumulates a cash value that the policyholder can withdraw or borrow against.As the most basic form of cash-value life insurance, whole life insurance is a way to accumulate wealth as regular premiums pay insurance costs and contribute to equity growth in a savings account where dividends or interest is allowed to build-up tax-deferred.

How much does does it cost? is usually the first question people ask about assisted living, and its an important one, to be sure. But getting a simple answer is, well, not so simple.Senior assisted living costs depend on several factors:The choices you make regarding services, amenities and type or size of apartment.Health care needs and how they will be met.The type of pricing structure offered by the provider.That third factor can make it difficult to compare senior living providers. While some charge a flat rate (all-inclusive fee) that includes everything, even when health care needs change, others charge a monthly base rate plus extra fees for various services.Then there are three main ways to assess those extra fees: 1) Unbundling and charging for each individual service rendered, or a la carte; 2) assigning a point value for individual services, then grouping the point totals into different price levels, or levels of care; or 3) charging for a set list of services, then adding more bundled services as needed for incremental or tiered rates.How do you compare options?If youre looking at more than one senior living option and you should be sure to ask a lot of questions. Visit several communities and pay attention to how they make you feel. In addition to gathering information about pricing, amenities and service options at different facilities, compare them to what the same level of care or service would cost if it were provided in your current, at-home situation.A Senior Living Consultant or Director at The Meriwether can help you understand the communitys pricing structure and answer all questions you have.Who pays?Assisted living licensure is regulated on the state level, and regulations vary from state to state. The only government subsidy available for assisted living is through the Medicaid Waiver program, which is also determined by each state; the subsidy amount and how its administered varies, as well. Many providers choose not to participate in the Medicaid Waiver program, especially if the reimbursement rate from the state does not cover the cost to provide services. For this reason, assisted living is primarily a private pay industry.Are there financial assistance options?Most folks pay for senior living through a combination of fixed income, savings and home equity, with fixed income typically the smallest piece of the pie. According to the American Seniors Housing Association and the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry, families often help pay for the cost of housing and care for a loved one.We understand that each and every person has unique financial circumstances. Our Senior Living Consultants are knowledgeable about the resources that may be available to you. The following options could help reduce or pay for some portion of your senior housing and health care costs.Long-term care insurance helps provide funds for long-term care when other insurance doesnt provide coverage or isnt available. Eligibility and premiums are generally based on the age and health of the insured.Programs that sell or convert life insurance policies, such as Life Care Funding, can be applied to senior living costs.Savings and investments offer a financial resource that may also generate income in the form of interest, capital gains or dividends.Personal loans may be used as a line of credit and drawn upon to fund move-in deposits, community fees or monthly fees.Real estate may also offer a source of funding, whether through the sale of a home or a home equity loan.Tax deductions:  Seniors or their adult children may be eligible to deduct all or part of their assisted living costs as a medical expense on their federal income taxes. Please consult your own personal tax advisor to learn more.The Veterans Aid and Attendance Program can help defray the cost of assisted living, in-home health care or other non-reimbursed medical care for those who served during wartime and their surviving spouses and dependents. Eligibility requirements are related to past military service and the level of care required.Companion living choosing to share an apartment enables two people with common interests to enjoy the comforts of friendship while sharing the financial responsibility. Residents who live together receive all the benefits of our services and amenities, with significantly lower housing expenses.Navigating through unfamiliar territoryChoosing an assisted living community is a brand-new experience for most people. A rainbow of choices is one of the things that makes assisted living great but overwhelming or confusing at the same time.Were committed to helping families find ways to make senior living more affordable and to find the place that best fits their needs. Whats most important is for each one to feel at home, whether thats in one of our communities or another providers. For that reason, our Senior Living Consultants will be happy to guide you through the process of determining whether one of our communities are right for you.Take advantage of the knowledge and experience weve accumulated over many years. We promise to give you straight answers. Contact us today to discuss!

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35Jesus words on love spoken some 2,000 years ago inspire and form our Christian ministry today at Presbyterian Homes & Services.For Alice Musiak, a housekeeper at Valley Ridge in Burnsville, MN, showing love is the best thing she does all day every day. She says, Ive been a housekeeper for three years. And I love it. I cant imagine doing anything else.Alices daily To Do List takes her around campus and into the homes of residents where she creates special moments with them.Recently, she noticed a resident with dementia, who was feeling down. Knowing she had just lost her husband, Alice tells what she did next: So, I grabbed a daily devotional book called Jesus Calling from our community library. I sat beside her and asked, Will you read me a devotional?Just last week, the same residents son came to visit. When he entered The Arbor, there was his mother, reading aloud from another Bible devotional as Alice followed along closely.So, he quietly pulled up a chair to listen, too, and commented softly, Mom always loves reading her Bible.Alice following along as resident reads from Christian Bible devotional Later, Alice made her way up to the laundry room on the third floor. Along the way she got a special request from a resident. Alice, can you help me with my puzzle? I cant fit any pieces in my puzzle. Im having a hard time.Alice explains, So I helped her, and it was really fun. Known by residents for her heart of gold, Alice giggles, I show it!Alice is truly a blessing here at Valley Ridge, comments Matthew Rectenwal, Environmental Services Director.To Alice, housekeeping is not about a To Do List. Its about the power of connection and filling residents homes with love.We Will is a series that spotlights inspiring examples of teamwork at PHS. With Gods blessing, We Will work together to build a better, brighter future for the older adults we serve.