Considering the Care Options for
Today's Seniors

Washington's seniors and their families are very fortunate to have such varied choices of senior care available to them within reasonable distance. Such as:


Retirement Communities
In-Home-Care
Assisted Living/Boarding Homes
Adult Family Homes (Adult Foster Care)
Alzheimer's/Memory Facilities/Units
Nursing Homes(Rehabilitation/Transitional Care Units)

Before getting into that vehicle to check out facilities, it might be wise to first look at the total picture.

Scenario: Mom and/or Dad have been living in their own home for as long as you can remember. Lately you have noticed that they could use some help. You hold down a job and try to help out on week-ends, but that doesn't seem to be enough. Maybe In-home-Care a couple times a week - might just be the ticket. Or would they be interested to move into a Retirement Community - and what about an Assisted Living/Boarding Home Facility and/or an Adult Family Care Home for those additional care needs?

The senior's involvement in their own future is of utmost importance. As long as the individual is able to make sound decisions a family meeting should be arranged - so considerations can be given to all options. Financial issues need to be discussed. Is there a long-term care policy in place the family is not aware of? If care in the future is needed - how will it be funded? When funding runs out - what's the next step? When does Medicaid come into the picture? What requirements need to be met? Do Mom and Dad know what a Retirement Community has to offer? When is Assisted Living/Boarding Home Care or care in an Adult Family Care Home appropriate? A family discussion with all siblings present (if possible) will in the future be of great help to all involved.

Scenario II: A family member has been able to help Mom and/or Dad all along. Mom has taken a fall and ends up in the hospital. Or dad had a stroke that left him disabled and memory impaired. Going back home is no longer a viable option. What's the next step?

If there are several siblings in the family, contact all of them. Some will show a lot of interest, some might not. You might be the one having to deal with your parent's future. Again - if possible - get into a discussion with your parents to see if they are able to give you any input what their expectations and/or wishes are. Are they reasonable? If in a hospital setting, can the Discharge Planner be of help to you and the parent? They will fully understand what's involved in her/his immediate future care. Often they will recommend a placement agency whithin their specific area, who will be able to help the senior and their family find the appropriate care facility, that they themselves have visited and recommend.

There are as many scenarios as there are families. Outside help is available from many sources - check with those sources first. The information you gather can make the difference between selecting a facility that will be conducive to their total well-being or simply help the chosen facility fill a vacancy.

Consider other important factors, such as BEFORE CONSIDERING CARE OPTIONS FOR TODAY'S SENIORS and CONSIDERING FINANCES.