If memory serves me right, everything was simple in the good old days. Housing wasn’t such a big deal as you aged. There was home and then there was the nursing home. That’s it.
Well, whether my recollections about the past are correct or not, finding the best senior housing today isn’t so simple. Now when you start a search you’ll be flooded with choices and a glut of acronyms, such as CCRC, ADL and CCC.
But don’t get out the worry beads just yet.
The explosion of new terms means more housing options are available. Be glad that you and your children will have many more choices than previous generations. Consider that the different types of housing available today make the good old days look not so good by comparison.
But where to start? Local social service agencies can point you in the right direction. City departments on aging can help, too. And for those of us who are alphabetically challenged, here are some of the basic terms you’ll probably come across in your search for senior housing:
– Congregate Care/Independent Living.
Sometimes called CCCs, these communities, or complexes, are for seniors who require very little assistance with daily tasks. Seniors often do, however, receive some services. These usually include meals, transportation and some housekeeping.
Units typically are rented like an apartment with an additional fee for services. Sometimes the rent and services are rolled into one monthly fee.
Congregate care facilities often are part of a larger development that includes assisted-living units or a nursing home.
– Assisted-Living Facilities, or ALFs.
Assisted-Living Facilities are the most popular type of new housing being built for those 80 years old and up. These buildings are meant for seniors who need help with the activities of daily living, sometimes called ADL.
Most brochures about assisted-living facilities describe the residents as frail. That just means the residents need help, not that they are sick. Seniors who are truly ill or need round-the-clock supervision are referred to a nursing home, not an assisted-living facility.
The newest generation of assisted-living facilities has a special floor for people with what are called memory impairments. These residents have Alzheimer’s disease or some type of dementia that requires more supervision.
Assisted-living units can be free-standing buildings, unconnected to other health care facilities, or part of a bigger seniors community.
New assisted-living facilities make an effort to appear more homey. Residents are encouraged to bring their own furniture and mementos.
Monthly fees include room and service charges. Most of the new assisted-living facilities are being developed by private companies, meaning this housing isn’t subsidized by the government, so rents can be high.
– Continuing Care Retirement Communities, or CCRCs.
These developments offer seniors what’s called a continuum of care. Once a person enters the community he or she never has to leave.
Most seniors are at least 75 years old when they move into the independent portion of the development. When residents become less capable they are moved into the assisted-living portion of the community.
Continuing care communities generally have a nursing home on the property. And many are connected to a hospital.
Most of these communities charge a hefty entrance fee, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. Monthly fees are high, too.
– Active Adult Communities.
These developments are geared to people who are at least 55 years old. They can be big developments, sometimes as large as a city or town. The residences are generally single-family homes.
A lot of activities are included, such as a golf courses, gyms and lots of opportunities to socialize. Although you purchase your house, there is usually a monthly fee for common area maintenance, something like a condominium.
– Affordable Housing.
When you see a building listed as affordable, it really means the building is subsidized by some type of government funding. Rents are generally low in these developments, sometimes as little as several hundred dollars a month. But income restrictions will apply.
Residents generally cannot have great reserves of money or income. Income restrictions vary, but the cutoff point is about $25,000 a year. Because there are not enough of these projects, there are usually long waiting lists.
– Nursing homes.
Sheltered care, intermediate care, skilled care, sub-acute care and hospice care all fall into this broad category. The different names really don’t matter as long as you fit the qualifications for a particular facility.
A nursing home may provide one or several different levels of care.
Resources
The Life Services Network of Illinois has a free brochure that describes housing options for seniors. It also defines various services available for seniors who decide not to move. For a free copy call 630-325-6170.
The Illinois Department on Aging has a senior help line that provides information to seniors. The toll-free number is 800-279-0400. It’s a good place to get information on support services in your area, home delivered meals, housekeeping help and adult day care programs.
Jane Adler is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding housing for senior citizens, write to Senior Housing c/o Chicago Tribune Real Estate Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 60611.
