Assisted Living near Flora, IL

Assisted Living in Flora, 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 typically receive support for bathing, dressing, medication management, and meals. Different from a skilled nursing community where people receive around-the-clock nursing care, assisted living communities give residents access to care while as well as offering a variety of activities and features in a community setting. Some assisted living communities provide support for seniors with specific medical needs such as cognitive loss due to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, diabetes, or incontinence care.

Should you be unsure about what sort of care your family member needs, speak with a medical professional who can help you decide on the best sort of care. Also, our Senior Living Advisors are standing by to answer any of your concerns and help you discover a senior care community that meets your preferences.

What Is Senior Living Like in Flora, IL?

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

When it comes to deciding on senior living, there are numerous things to consider, from the amount of care and support to standard of living, location and more. Flora, IL offers many possible choices to help you make a confident and educated decision for your loved ones.

• 55+ Apartments/Senior Apartments: Generally known as adult communities, age-restricted apartments, and senior condos. Senior apartments are just like apartments for people of all ages, but have an age restriction; typically residents are required to be more than 55 or 62. Older adults quite often feel more secure in senior apartments and prefer living in close proximity to people from their own generation.
• Independent Living: Independent living is a type of senior housing for seniors who still live independently but want to live in a community setting with various other seniors. This kind of senior housing commonly has community events, activities, outings, and often has transitional programs for seniors who gradually need assisted living.
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs): Continuing care retirement communities are retirement facilities with accommodations for independent living, assisted living and nursing home care, giving seniors a continuum of health care. An individual can spend the rest of his life in a CCRC or life plan community, moving between levels of 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 caring for a loved one. That is a great option for caregivers and seniors looking for ways to remain active and engaged while living in the home and receiving home care solutions.
• Residential Care Home/Board and Care: Care homes are regular homes in residential neighborhoods which may have been adapted to care for a small number of residents. Offering services similar to assisted living facilities, care homes specialize in providing individualized care in a home-like environment.
• Assisted Living: Assisted living gives residents assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) like washing, personal grooming, medication administration, and more. Amenities and services can vary greatly but commonly there is staff on hand around the clock to assist residents with requirements as they arise. Residents likewise routinely have a care plan that is on a regular basis monitored and adapted as requirements change over time.
• Memory Care: This sort of attention is usually for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia. These facilities are usually specifically planned so that residents do not get lost or wander. They provide dementia-friendly meal plans and life enhancing activities that encourage engagement and social interaction.
• Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facilities: Nursing homes, also known as skilled nursing facilities, are for seniors who need the highest level of 24- hour care, 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 means a short-term stay at a long-term care community. Respite care may also refer to in-home caregiving services used for just a short period. Family caregivers utilize respite services if they need a break or have other obligations.
• Hospice Care: Hospice care assists the terminally ill and their loved ones make the most of the last days of their lives. Originated in the word “hospitality,” hospice isn't a place, but a philosophy of attention that embraces death as a natural part of life, and looks to to assist individuals meet this end with dignity and grace. This means comforting the patient emotionally and physically while assisting their loved ones as they navigate any end of life decisions.

What Solutions Are Available?

The amenities and services offered in senior living may differ substantially from community to community. However, most facilities offer studio, one-room or two-bedroom apartments, activities, meal plans, transportation, and other amenities.

Other features often within assisted living include:

• Access to medical support
• Access to therapies on-site and off-site
• Activity and nutrition programs
• Housekeeping services
• Medication supervision

How Do I Tour Assisted Living Communities ?

Flora has 50 communities in the region so it is essential to tour several assisted living facilities before choosing the best one for your senior loved one. That way you'll discover what options can be found and will have a less complicated time narrowing down your choices. Call or contact A Place for Mom and we'll help you setup a visit at your preferred facility.

Below are a few of the best 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 give prescription medication?
• Do you have a nurse on-site 24/7?
• Do you include all of your services in the monthly price? If not, how much are extra services?
• Will your policy require an initial evaluation prior to admission?
• Is there a waitlist? If so, how many people are currently on it?
• What accommodation types can be found and what exactly are their price ranges?
• What are the existing residents like?
• What exactly are your invoicing and payment guidelines and procedures?
• What's the staff-to-resident ratio? Are the personnel interested? Friendly?
• What's your discharge policy?
• What sort of know-how do your staff members have?
• It's also advisable to pay close attention to any residents you meet or move while you’re there. Do they seem content and are they taken care of 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 records through its Department of Social Services website. Data open to review includes licensed assisted living communities that are updated regularly, and info on assisted living licensing and violations.

In the state of Illinois, assisted living communities are required by law 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 which includes a doctor’s assessment and evaluation
• Provide personal and health services 24 hours per day with personnel assisting with personal necessities such as showering, eating, and hygiene

How Do I Choose the Right Assisted Living Facility?

Choosing the best community for your senior loved one is usually one of an important decisions you may make. During your tour, consider the quality of health care that your loved one may receive. The decision of “if, when and where to move” resides specifically with you and your loved one, so think about what criteria are ultimately important to you and your loved one.

• Activities: It’s a good idea to try and schedule your tour in conjunction with community get-togethers. Ask the manager if you can watch the entertainment as well as participate. Are the activities and get-togethers well attended? Does the personnel seem to be enjoying the activity as well? Take a look at the community calendar of occasions. Do they meet your loved one’s likes and dislikes? Do the activities and events vary in size and type? Do they include excursions and trips from the facility? If it's essential to yourself, don’t forget to inquire about religious offerings.
• Cleanliness: Does the community feel clean and fresh? Make sure to look beyond the furnishings and into baseboards, corners, and windows. Ask how often house cleaning services are offered in the private living area. Be sure to get complete details on the types of repair provided and the estimated response times. Don’t forget to ask 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 watch several personnel communicating with current residents. Do they listen and make eye contact? Make sure to receive a good understanding of the staffing routine. Just how many people are actually involved with residents’ care? Be sure to get an introduction to the management team. This can help you understand the goals and objectives of the facility. It's important that you trust the facility’s staff.
• Meals: As with almost all of us, the dining area experience is essential to seniors. When visiting facilities, it is important to go over entree choices and learn about dining hours, alternatives, and procedures. Be sure you and your family member enjoy a meal at community. It's not only a great way to sample the food, but it’s a great opportunity to meet other people. Be sure to discuss what goes on if a resident cannot make it to the dining room for a meal.
• Reputation: Ask people and family members, past and present, for their honest views about the community. Many facilities have a resident council which will be pleased to help answer any of your concerns. Check out our website to see a few of the 302 reviews from families who have shared their impressions of individual communities.
• Security and safety: Security and safety features are incredibly important and provide peace of mind for the caregiver. Make sure that restrooms are accessible and also have grab bars in convenient places. Ask how residents call the staff if they have an an urgent situation within their living area. Learn about other basic safety features in living quarters and throughout the community. Be sure you find out about staffing patterns to determine who is on-site at all times to aid residents. Are there registered nurses on-site? How do staffing patterns differ at night? How will the community assist or manage residents’ medication requirements?
• Trust your gut: As you are touring, make sure you think about yourself or your family member actually living at the facility. Can you imagine your loved one feeling comfortable? Do you feel at ease? Are the personnel and residents amenable, inviting and friendly?

How Much Does Assisted Living Cost in Flora, Illinois?

The A Place for Mom Senior Living Cost Index states that the average cost of assisted living in the Flora area ranged from $1851 to $20000 per month. Charges for assisted living facilities may differ widely depending on features, area, and services, so looking into surrounding suburbs and towns could give you further versatility.

How to Pay for Assisted Living

Many people finance a move to assisted living through the sale of a home or personal savings, but for some people, this won't be an option. Here are three other solutions that may help you pay for assisted living:

1. Life Insurance Policies: If the parent or senior loved one you are helping move into assisted living has a life insurance policy, you could be able to liquidate the policy and get the funds now. Different policies and constraints apply according to the kind of plan you have, so call a financial advisor or eldercare legal professional to learn more about your options and to evaluate what’s most effective for your situation.
2. Reverse Mortgages: For senior couples who may have different care needs, a reverse mortgage could be a good approach for just one person to move into assisted living while another resides at home while his or her spouse transitions to senior living. A reverse mortgage enables home owners aged 62 or older to borrow against their home equity. For more information, get in touch with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to find a reverse mortgage counseling agency near you 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 many 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 current average age of U.S. veterans at 64 years old, it’s worth it to discover 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 go to www.va.gov.

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

5 Questions to Ask an Assisted Living Community

Finding the right assisted living community is a major decision, both for a senior and for his or her family.

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

1. How many staff are on hand to assist at night? Some assisted living communities provide 24x7 nursing staff, while some may have more generalized help on hand after hours.
2. Is there a waitlist? Popular communities can fill up fast. If the main one you like is not available, inquire about the waitlist and what the facility’s plan is for managing it. Many facilities will ask for a deposit plus some communities have internal lists for special health care needs. Here's where doing all your homework can seriously pay off - plan ahead!
3. Will there be a patio space? For many residents making the transition from a private residence to assisted living means leaving behind a beloved backyard or outdoor area, so the ability to access a gardening area, an outdoor patio or a courtyard is definitely beneficial. Many larger assisted living facilities offer a range of yard, with features such as for example BBQ places, gardens, and going for walks paths for community events.
4. What's the staff-to-resident ratio? Will this community provide your loved one with the help and support they need? Based on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 25% of assisted living communities have a ratio of one personal care assistants for every 23 residents. Staffing may differ widely depending on the size of the community, so make certain to ask about the services you are searching for.
5. What services are within the monthly fee? Before signing the agreement, it’s smart to understand what is included in the basic cost structure and what might incur an extra charge. Some facilities employ a fee-for-service model, or a la carte pricing, which means they bill a monthly fee for rent and meals but supplemental charges for things like medication management. Others may use a tiered pricing model where different levels of care are charged different service fees.

What Else Should I Consider When Choosing a Community?

With so many options 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 are the best fit for his or her care requirements, personality, and budget.

Here are a few things to take into account during your search:

• Be sure to search for your family member, not you. Today’s assisted living facilities offer everything from homey conditions to upscale resort-style luxury living. It could be easy to end up being influenced by the features and services you may choose for yourself, but eventually it comes down to what will work best for your loved one.
• Focus on the present, not the past. Will your family member need support bathing and dressing? Do they have special needs like limited eyesight or special meal plans? Would they enjoy the perks of a larger facility or be more relaxed in a smaller, more intimate environment? Think about the here and now, not what may have been their decision ten or 15 years ago.
• Plan to tour at least three to five communities, when you can. Start with scheduled tours and consider having a meal with the residents. If none of the places seem like a good fit, ask your Senior Living Advisor for more options. And don’t hesitate to ask questions and take down notes while you’re there.

The process of deciding on the best assisted living facility is often complicated, but there are services that can help. Call A Place for Mom today - we are able to help save you money and time and help you make the right choice.