Assisted Living near Carterville, IL

Assisted Living in Carterville, Illinois

What Is Assisted Living?

Assisted living is a type of senior care and housing that offers residents support for activities of daily living (ADLs). Residents commonly receive support for bathing, dressing, medication management, and meals. Not the same as a skilled nursing facility where people receive around-the-clock nursing care, assisted living communities give residents access to care while also offering a variety of activities and amenities in a community setting. Some assisted living communities also provide support for seniors with specific medical necessities such as for example cognitive loss due to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, diabetes, or incontinence care.

When you are unsure about what kind of care your family member needs, speak with a medical professional who can help you select the best kind of care. Also, our Senior Living Advisors are standing by to answer any of your queries and help you discover a senior care facility that meets your preferences.

What Is Senior Living Like in Carterville, IL?

Boasting four distinct seasons and lovely Midwest landscapes, Illinois is a beautiful spot to retire. Home to one of the world’s largest airports, retiring in Illinois provides your friends and relations a convenient destination to visit, while as well as offering you easy access to world travel.

When it comes to choosing senior living, there are plenty of points to consider, from the level of health care and support to standard of living, location and more. Carterville, IL provides many choices to help you make a confident and educated decision for your loved ones.

• 55+ Apartments/Senior Apartments: Also referred to as adult communities, age-restricted apartments, and senior condos. Senior apartments are simply like apartments for folks of all ages, but have an age restriction; typically residents must be older than 55 or 62. Older adults typically feel better in senior apartments and prefer living around persons from their own generation.
• Independent Living: Independent living is a type of senior housing for seniors who now live independently but want to live in a community setting with other seniors. This kind of senior housing commonly has community events, entertainment, outings, and oftentimes has transitional programs for seniors who eventually need assisted living.
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs): Continuing care retirement communities are retirement communities with accommodations for independent living, assisted living and nursing home care, offering people a continuum of care. An individual can spend the rest of his life in a CCRC or life plan community, moving between degrees of health care as needed. This type of arrangement is also called “aging in place,” although it does require departing one’s original home.
• Adult Day Care: Adult day care can provide respite care for caregivers who remain working while also looking after a loved one. This is a great alternative for caregivers and seniors searching for ways to remain busy and engaged while living at home and receiving home care services.
• Residential Care Home/Board and Care: Care homes are standard homes in residential neighborhoods which may have been adapted to look after a small number of residents. Offering services similar to assisted living communities, care homes specialize in providing personalized health care in a home-like environment.
• Assisted Living: Assisted living gives residents assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing, personal grooming, medication supervision, and more. Amenities and services can vary greatly but commonly there is staff available around the clock to help residents with wants as they arise. Residents also routinely have a care plan that is frequently monitored and adapted as requirements change over time.
• Memory Care: This sort of health care is usually for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and other varieties of dementia. These communities are usually specifically designed to ensure that residents do not get lost or wander. They offer dementia-friendly meal plans and life enhancing activities that enhance engagement and personal interaction.
• Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facilities: Nursing homes, also called skilled nursing facilities, are for seniors who need the highest degree of 24- hour attention, including those who are bedridden. Nursing homes are also utilized by seniors for rehabilitation after a hospitalization.
• Respite Care/Short-Term Stay Respite: This care typically refers to a short-term stay at a long-term care facility. Respite care can also make reference to in-home caregiving services used for only a short period. Family caregivers use respite services if they need a break or have other obligations.
• Hospice Care: Hospice care can help the terminally ill and their families make the most of the last days of their lives. Originated in the term “hospitality,” hospice is not a location, but a philosophy of care and attention that embraces death as a natural part of life, and looks to to help people meet this end with dignity and grace. This means comforting the patient psychologically and physically while aiding their friends and family as they navigate any end of life decisions.

What Solutions Are Available?

The amenities and services offered in senior living can vary greatly from facility to facility. However, most communities offer studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments, entertainment, meal plans, transportation, and other amenities.

Other amenities often found in assisted living include:

• Access to medical services
• Access to therapies on-site and off-site
• Fitness and nutrition programs
• Housekeeping services
• Medication management

How Do I Tour Assisted Living Communities ?

Carterville has 50 facilities in the area so it is essential to tour several assisted living facilities before finding the right one for your senior loved one. That way you will discover what options are available and will have a less complicated time narrowing down your alternatives. Call or email A Place for Mom and we'll help you arrange a visit at your preferred community.

Here are a few of the top questions you need to be ready to ask during your walk through:

• Are there any outdoor spaces that occupants can enjoy? If so, are they kept neat and tidy?
• Can your staff dispense medicine?
• Do you have a nurse on-site 24/7?
• Do you include your services in the monthly price? If not, how much are additional services?
• Does your policy require a preliminary assessment before admission?
• Will there be a waitlist? If so, how many people are currently on it?
• What apartment types can be found and what exactly are their price ranges?
• What are the existing residents like?
• What are your invoicing and payment policies and methods?
• What is the staff-to-resident ratio? Are the personnel interested? Friendly?
• What is your discharge policy?
• What sort of knowledge do your personnel have?
• It's also advisable to pay close attention to any residents you meet or pass while you’re there. Do they seem content and are they treated well?

Will Medicare Pay for Assisted Living?

According to Medicare.gov, “Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities and people with End-Stage Renal Disease.”

Medicare covers only short-term, non-custodial care. As a consequence you cannot use Medicare to cover long-term nursing home stays or assisted living. Medicare covers medically necessary skilled care at a nursing home if you want short-term skilled care for an illness or injury and you meet certain conditions.

How Can I View Assisted Living Inspections and Ratings in Illinois?

The state of Illinois offers great usage of its assisted living facility data through its Department of Social Services website. Info open to review includes licensed assisted living communities that are updated regularly, and information about assisted living licensing and violations.

In the state of Illinois, assisted living facilities are required for legal reasons to:

• Have a license if housing 17 or even more unrelated individuals
• Have over 80% of residents be 55 years old or older
• Provide each resident with a written service plan that includes a doctor’s analysis and evaluation
• Provide personal and health services 24 hours a day with personnel assisting with personal necessities such as dressing, eating, and hygiene

How Do I Choose the best Assisted Living Community?

Finding the right facility for your senior family member is certainly one of the most important decisions you can make. During your tour, consider the standard of care that your loved one may receive. The decision of “if, when and where to move” resides solely with you and your family, so think about what criteria are ultimately beneficial to you and your loved one.

• Activities: It’s smart to try to schedule your tour in conjunction with community events. Ask the manager if you can look at the entertainment as well as get involved. Are the activities and get-togethers well attended? Does the team members seem to be to be appreciating the activity as well? Check out the facility calendar of get-togethers. Do they meet your loved one’s interests? Do the activities and events vary in size and type? Do they involve outings and trips from the community? If it's important to you and your family, don’t forget to inquire about faith based offerings.
• Cleanliness: Does the community feel clean and fresh? Make sure to look past the fixtures and into baseboards, corners, and windows. Ask how frequently housekeeping services are offered in the personal living space. Be sure you get complete details on the types of maintenance provided and the estimated response times. Don’t forget to enquire about laundry procedures. Ask for particulars on what is available and at what price.
• Friendliness: The demeanor and friendliness of the staff are of the utmost importance. Make sure you observe several personnel mingling with current residents. Do they pay attention and make eye contact? Be sure to get a good understanding of the staffing pattern. How many people are truly involved with residents’ care? Be sure you get an introduction to the management team. This will help you understand the goals and objectives of the community. It is important that you have confidence in the community’s team members.
• Meals: As with most of us, the dining area experience is extremely important to seniors. When visiting communities, it is important to go over entree choices and learn about dining hours, options, and policies. Make sure you and your loved one enjoy a meal at facility. Not only is it a terrific way to try the cooking, but it’s a great opportunity to meet other people. Be sure to discuss what goes on if a resident is unable to make it to the dining room for meals.
• Reputation: Ask people and family members, past and present, for his or her honest thoughts about the community. Many communities have a resident council that will be pleased to help answer any of your questions. Go to our website to read over a number of the 550 reviews from family members who've shared their perceptions of specific facilities.
• Security and safety: Safety and security features are extremely important and provide reassurance for the caregiver. Be sure that bathrooms are accessible and also have grab bars in convenient places. Ask how residents call the staff if indeed they have an an urgent situation in their living area. Learn about other safety features in living quarters and through the entire facility. Make sure you learn about staffing schedules to determine who is on-site at all times to assist residents. Are there registered nurses on-site? How do staffing patterns differ at night? How will the community assist or manage residents’ medication needs?
• Trust your gut: As you are touring, be sure you think about yourself or your loved one actually living at the community. Can you imagine your loved one being relaxed? Do you really feel at ease? Are the personnel and residents amenable, welcoming and amiable?

How Much Does Assisted Living Cost in Carterville, Illinois?

The A Place for Mom Senior Living Cost Index shows that the average cost of assisted living in the Carterville location ranged from $1500 to $20000 per month. Charges for assisted living facilities may differ widely based on amenities, specific location, and services, as a result looking into surrounding suburbs and towns could give you more versatility.

How to Pay for Assisted Living

Many family members finance a move to assisted living through the sales of a home or personal savings, but for some people, this might not be an choice. Listed below are three additional methods that will assist you finance assisted living:

1. Life Insurance Policies: If the parent or senior family member you are assisting move into assisted living has a life insurance policy, you might be in a position to cash out the insurance plan and receive money today. Different policies and constraints apply based on the kind of plan you have, so contact a monetary advisor or eldercare lawyer to determine more about your options and to determine what’s ideal for your needs.
2. Reverse Mortgages: For senior couples who may have different health care requirements, a reverse mortgage could be a good method for one person to move into assisted living while another resides at home while his or her partner transitions to senior living. A reverse mortgage allows homeowners aged 62 or older to borrow on their home equity. For more information, get in touch with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to locate a reverse mortgage counseling agency in your area or contact the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
3. Veterans Benefits: Many seniors may qualify for veterans benefits that they don’t know about. One benefit, in particular, Aid & Attendance, has helped countless families afford assisted living. To qualify, veterans must be at least 65 years old and have served at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one day during what the Veterans Administration considers active wartime periods. Qualifying widows and widowers of veterans can also be able to receive benefits. With the existing average age of U.S. veterans at 64 years old, it’s worthwhile to find out if your family member may qualify for benefits. To find out more about benefits for veterans, see our “Guide to VA Benefits and Long-Term Care,” call the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs or visit www.va.gov.

For even more ideas regarding how to finance your move to senior living, call A Place for Mom to speak to a Senior Living Advisor today.

5 Questions to Ask an Assisted Living Facility

Finding the right assisted living facility is an important decision, both for a senior and for his or her family.

Here are five points to consider when thinking about making the move to assisted living:

1. How many staff are on hand to assist during the night? Some assisted living communities provide 24x7 nursing staff, while others may have more generalized help on hand after hours.
2. Will there be a waitlist? Popular facilities can fill fast. If the one you like is not available, inquire about the waitlist and what the community’s plan is for managing it. Many communities will ask for a deposit and some communities have internal lists for special health care needs. Here's where doing your homework can seriously pay off - plan in advance!
3. Will there be an outdoor space? For most residents making the transition from a personal residence to assisted living means giving up a beloved yard or outdoor area, so the ability to access a gardening area, an outdoor patio or a courtyard is usually important. Many larger assisted living facilities offer a selection of yard, with features such as BBQ areas, gardens, and taking walks paths for community events.
4. What is the staff-to-resident ratio? Will this community offer your cherished one with the help and support they need? In line with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 25% of assisted living communities have a ratio of one personal care assistants for each 23 residents. Staffing can vary widely depending on the size of the facility, so make certain to ask about the features you are interested in.
5. What services are included in the monthly rate? Before signing the agreement, it’s smart to understand what is included in the basic cost structure and what might incur an extra cost. Some facilities employ a fee-for-service model, or a la carte pricing, this means they ask for a monthly cost for rent and meals but extra costs for things like medication management. Others may use a tiered pricing model where different levels of care are charged distinct service fees.

What Else Should I Consider When Choosing a Facility?

With so many choices to choose from, finding the right assisted living facility can seem like a daunting task. That’s where our Senior Living Advisors can help - they are specialists in helping match seniors to the facilities that will be the best fit for their care needs, personality, and budget.

Below are a few things to remember during your search:

• Be sure to search for your family member, not you. Today’s assisted living communities offer everything from homey conditions to upscale resort-style high end living. It could be easy to be tempted by the features and amenities you might choose for yourself, but in the end it comes down to what will function best for your family member.
• Focus on the present, not the past. Will your loved one need support washing and dressing? Do they have special needs like limited eyesight or special diet plans? Would they like the perks of a larger community or be more comfortable in a smaller, more intimate setting? Think about the here and now, not what may have been their decision ten or 15 years back.
• Plan to tour at least 3 to 5 facilities, when you can. Start with planned tours and consider having meals with the residents. If none of the places seem like a good fit, ask your Senior Living Advisor for more choices. And don’t hesitate to ask questions and take down notes while you’re there.

The process of selecting the right assisted living community is often complicated, but there are resources that can help. Call A Place for Mom today - we can help save you time and money and make it easier for you make the right choice.