Assisted living can serve as a valuable transitional option for seniors who require more assistance than their family can provide at home, but do not need 24/7 care.Below are some reasons why assisted living can be advantageous for seniors in terms of promoting their health and happiness, compared to living at home.Appropriate Living EnvironmentWhen the physical health of seniors starts to decline, families may need to make home modifications and hire in-home care to ensure their safety. These modifications can range from medical alert systems and shower grab-bars to wheelchair-accessible ramps, and the costs can quickly add up. In contrast, assisted living communities are designed to be accessible and promote senior mobility, which can help prevent falls and accidents. These communities also provide access to medical assistance, either through on-site medical staff or proximity to nearby hospitals.Daily Fitness & ExerciseRetirement and assisted living communities provide a wide variety of fitness and physical therapy programs to keep seniors active and engaged, such as Tai Chi, Yoga, Zumba classes, and endurance and strength-building workouts. These programs are tailored to the needs of senior citizens and cater to specific medical conditions. In addition, community gardening clubs can provide exercise and fun to help seniors stay active and release endorphins. Participating in organized group fitness activities can also assist seniors in treating arthritis, improving circulation, and keeping their bodies engaged in healthy ways. The opportunities for physical fitness in assisted living communities surpass what family caregivers can easily provide at home.Richer Social LifeLoneliness and social isolation have been associated with adverse health outcomes, and many seniors experience isolation due to the following reasons:Retirement eliminates socialization opportunities in the work environment.Physical ailments or transportation issues make it difficult to meet people for lunch or attend social events.Friends and spouses may have passed away.Assisted living communities offer seniors the opportunity to socialize with peers easily, not only in common areas but also through planned, structured activities like events , field trips, and special celebrations. Assisted living communities inspire seniors to get involved, which can lead to greater happiness and a better quality of life.Proper & Varied NutritionSupervising senior nutrition at home can be a challenging task. Seniors who live alone may find it unappealing to cook for one, and it can be difficult for family caregivers to ensure that their loved ones are consuming adequate nutrients. Unfortunately, many seniors suffer from malnutrition, which can lead to a decline in health and well-being, despite their familys efforts to keep them healthy. In assisted living communities, residents are provided with three meals a day that are customized to their specific medical conditions, such as diabetes or difficulty swallowing. Some luxury communities even offer gourmet dining options.Help with Daily ChoresSenior citizens often find housekeeping, yard work, and daily activities to be a burden. Assisted living allows seniors to enjoy their golden years with people of similar age, in addition to taking advantage of assisted living activities and amenities without worrying about the details of living. Family caregivers or hired in-home help are typically responsible for assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, and eating, which can be expensive without the social and activity benefits that come with assisted living. Assisted living provides expert assistance with ADLs, allowing seniors to maintain their independence while engaging in activities that bring them joy and improving their quality of life.

For more information on the author, Aravilla, CLICK HERE!Long-Term Care Cost ComparisonThe costs of assisted living and memory care are both subject to many of the same variables including geographic location, apartment size, and required services. Beyond that, however, costs are figured a bit differently for the two types of care.Assisted living communities generally charge a base monthly rate, which covers room and board with two to three meals per day. According to the2017 Cost of Care Survey, the mean cost in the U.S. for assisted living apartment is $4,560 per month, which can vary significantly by location. Some communities cover housekeeping, laundry and other services in their base rate, while in others, these are optional servicesso it is important to get a cost breakdown for every community you may be considering.Because memory care offers specialized care and nursing services that regular assisted living does not, the cost tends to be higher. Fortunately, there are several options available to help pay for senior care and reduce the out-of-pocket costs. Several are shown below, but for a full analysis, be sure to make an appointment with an Aravilla representative.Long Term Care InsuranceIf you have a long-term care insurance policy or a policy designated for home care, it will likely cover assisted living. Some people also have facility-only policies which cover care only in licensed assisted living facilities or skilled nursing facilities.Many insurance policies are difficult to understand, but knowing your benefits will be very helpful in making sure you get what you have paid for. It is very common for insurance companies to decline payment on the first request. Commonly, you or an advocate at the assisted living community will need to contact the insurance companies personally to discuss issues and obtain approval. Most companies will require that you demonstrate need in at least two areas of ADLs (activities of daily living) to qualify, such as bathing, eating, dressing, transferring from bed to chair, walking and toileting.Long-term care insurance benefits vary widely depending on the policy. Benefits can range from $1,500 to more than $9,000 per month.Life InsuranceWhen we think of life insurance benefits, we typically believe the funds are not available until death. However, many life insurance policies can be used to pay for care while the policy holder is still alive. Ask your life insurance agent about cashing out a policy, acceleration, or living benefits.Typically, the company will buy the policy back for 50 to 75 percent of its value. The rules will be different depending on the company and type of policy. Some policies can only be cashed in if the policyholder is terminally ill; others are much more flexible.If the company wont cash it in, you can sell the policy to a third-party company in return for a life settlement or senior settlement, which is usually 50 to 75 percent of the policys face value. After buying the policy, and giving you the percentage, the third-party company continues to pay the premiums until the policyholder dies, at which time the company receives the benefits.There are also options called life assurance benefit or life insurance conversion program. This allows seniors to switch the benefit of a life insurance policy into long-term care payments. Life insurance conversion typically pays between 15 and 50 percent of the value of the policy. Although this is less than a life settlement, it is an option for lesser-value policies that might not qualify for life settlement.Veterans BenefitsThe VA (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs) can be very generous when taking care of those who served. If you or your loved one is a veteran, you may be eligible for benefits that can be used to pay for residential care. If you have service-related injuries or disabilities, this should be straightforward.There is another set of benefits known as Non-Service Connected Improved Pension Benefit with Aide and Attendance (Aid and Attendance for short) that pays toward the cost of assisted living. This is available to veterans or a surviving spouse who is disabled and whose income is below a certain limit. A veteran must have served at least 90 days on active duty and/or at least one day during wartime. The medical condition doesnt need to be service related, but you must meet a medical qualification. The information on how much the benefit pays varies, but the average is a maximum benefit of $1,949 a month for married veterans, $1,644 for single veterans and $1,056 for a surviving spouse.People are often told that they have too many assets to qualify for the program, but are not informed that it is possible to re-allocate assets without being penalized. However, it must be done under strict guidelines to avoid disqualification, so it may be best to do this with the assistance of a professional advisor.Application is made through the Veterans Administration. Along with military discharge papers, applicants need proof of a valid medical condition with a letter stating such from a doctor.Reverse MortgageIf you own your own home and your spouse still needs a place to live, a reverse mortgage might be just the solution you seek. This allows you to borrow money on the equity you have built up in your home. When the last person is gone from the home, the money must be repaid which usually means selling the home. This is not the best choice for a home that you want to keep in the family.Bridge LoanIf you have trouble liquidating assets quickly, short-term bridge loans are becoming more popular. They are usually available in amounts of up to $50,000 and are designed to fund the move to assisted living. They are typically used while waiting for the sale of property, or approval for a pension.Private PayPersonal income or savings is the simplest route, but the cost of a months rent can quickly use up your savings. You can also cash in personal investment portfolios, like 401k plans or IRAs. Often, paying out of pocket is beyond what many can afford in the long term. However, when all your resources have been exhausted, Medicaid may remain as an option.AnnuityIf you have a sizable savings but are worried about outliving your resources, you may consider an annuity. When you purchase an annuity, you pay a lump sum to the underwriters and then you will receive regular payments over a specified time period (usually the rest of your life).This is one way you can stretch out your money and make sure that you will always have some money coming in even if you live longer than you expected. The biggest benefit of an annuity is that even if your purchase premium runs out, you can get more money back than you put in. The underwriters hope to make a profit if you die early. They take the risk that you could live longer. It can be more beneficial for you than just spending your money on the cost of the stay.Another advantage of an annuity is that it isnt fully considered an asset by Medicaid when you apply for government assistance. The income (or your monthly payment) from the annuity is counted as a resource, but the larger sum you originally paid for the annuity is not. This can be a complex, so it is wise to have an accountant or financial adviser help you.About Medicare & MedicaidMedicare does not pay for the cost of living, room and board, or personal care in an assisted living or memory care. Assistance from Medicare is very limited.Medicaid is a joint federal government program for older people with low incomes and limited assets. However, administration of the program falls to the individual states, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which says each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services. The number ofstate Medicaid programspaying for assisted living is increasing, and many states also offer home and community-based services to help delay an elders placement in a long-term care facility.

How do You Begin the Process of Moving to Senior Living?Making the decision to move from your home into assisted livingor moving your parent to assisted living or memory careis never easy. The process can be overwhelming, with myriad factors to consider: location, amenities, costs, and more. You want to feel good about your choices, knowing above all that you or your loved one will be safe, well cared for and happy. How do you begin this journey?What is Most Important to You in a Senior Living Community?First and foremost, you must decide that a move to assisted living or memory care is the right move, at the right time. This is often a family decision, resulting from honest conversations with each other as well as trusted advisors. Once the decision is made, you can develop a list of criteria that are meaningful to you. For instance, if youre placing a parent, how close to your home is close enough? What are the costs, and what are the options for payment? Are there payment options you havent considered? What special care or services are required?Once you have developed your key criteria, you can begin identifying communities that appear to meet your needs. You can find them by asking trusted friends, driving your targeted neighborhood, searching online and visiting websites that list senior living communities near you, like Caring.com and APlaceforMom.com. Most of these sites provide a plethora of information, as well as helpful reviews by residents and family members.Personal Visits Are a MustFinally, you will want to schedule personal visits and tours to evaluate the communities on your short list at a deeper level. When you do, consider: How does each community look? How do the residents appear, and what are they doing? Are they engaging with others? What is your impression of the staff? You will undoubtedly get a feeling for each community. What is that feeling? Can you envision yourself there, or visiting your loved one?Within this website, youll find some useful tools to help you through the process of finding a community where you or your loved one can feel comfortable, safe and happy. We are also happy to schedule a meeting with you to answer your questions and provide additional information.

Learn more about Aravilla Assisted Living Click HereKnow the Differences, and Which is Best for You and Your Loved OneAround 70 percent of adults over the age of 65 will need help with activities of daily living care at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. When we recognize that either we or our family members may need extra help with the things we once managed on our own, we often begin to think about senior living. Two of the fastest-growing types of senior living communities are assisted living and memory care, both available at Aravilla. Although assisted living communities may have memory care on the premises, the two types of care are not synonymous.What are the differences between the two, and which one is right for you or your loved one?Assisted Living: When You're Still Independent, But Need a Little HelpAssisted living may be a good choice if you are still active and can live autonomously, but want the peace of mind that comes with the availability of help when you need it. Assisted living communities vary widely in cost, residence styles and services, which is why Aravilla recreated assisted living to make it customizable and personal. We offer a variety of private apartment plans that allow you to maintain your privacy and freedom. Like other assisted living communities, we also provide a variety of optional personal care services and aid with the activities of daily living. You can select the services you want and need, but maintain independence in other aspects of your life.Assisted living facilities are not federally regulated, but they should be licensed by the state in which they are located.Learn more about Aravilla Assisted LivingFind an Aravilla assisted living community near youFor additional information on assisted living, the Assisted Living Federation of America offers a convenient downloadable guide: download it here.Memory Care: When Alzheimer's and Memory Issues are PresentMemory care caters specifically to people with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other types of memory problems. Sometimes called special care units (SCUs), memory care communities usually include 24-hour supervised care within a secure area of a residential community.In addition to providing assistance with activities of daily living, as you would expect in assisted living, the staff in memory care communities should be specially trained to assist residents with dementia or impaired cognition. In addition, the physical layout and security of memory care communities should be designed to prevent wandering behavior and make navigation pleasant and easy. This is clearly evident at Aravilla Memory Care, which incorporates dozens of features to accommodate the special needs of our residents.In addition to the general state-level licensing of assisted living, memory care is further regulated in 23 states by special care unit disclosure laws requiring care providers to disclose the special services they offer. However, because these laws are not yet universal, it is critical for caregivers to research facilities well before making a decision.