July 2010 - Heather Heights Happenings...click to read more

Independent Living or Assisted Living--
Which Is Right for You or Your Loved One?

By Laurie Clark, RCFE
Administrator of Heather Heights of Pittsford, Inc.

As an Administrator of a New York State Department of Health regulated Assisted Living Residence, I am often asked to clarify the difference between an assisted living residence and independent living apartments. The answer is quite simple.

Independent living apartments are self-sufficient units for seniors who able to care for themselves completely. Independent living residents may no longer want to have the responsibility and worry of caring for a house. They can communicate with their physicians on their own or with the help of family. Since most independent living communities only offer one meal per day, apartment residents must generally be able to cook for themselves. In an independent setting, if seniors need personal or medical care, they must be able to bring in healthcare providers from a home care agency. Select independent living communities, such as Brompton Heights, Inc. in Williamsville, provide meals and personal care services on an a-la-carte basis.

Department of Health regulated assisted living residences provide assistance with all activities of daily living, including: three meals per day; personal care services such as bathing, dressing, and grooming; medication management; recreational programming; transportation to appointments; 24-hour supervision for any emergencies or care needs. Although not required by the Department of Health, assisted living residences affiliated with The Hamister Group, Inc. have 24/7 on-site licensed nurses.

Both independent and assisted living communities offer increased opportunities for socialization and group activities.

So which community is right for you or your loved one? A person who already needs assistance with daily living, medication management, and healthcare should choose assisted living. It's best not to move twice—first to independent and then to assisted living—within a very short period of time. A wise move for a more independent senior would be to choose an independent living community that adjoins an assisted living residence: in this way, when care levels increase, he or she simply moves to another part of the community, not to another site altogether.

Whether you choose independent or assisted living, you will have greater peace of mind in a senior community than you would on your own: residents have fewer worries, more opportunities to make new friends, and the confidence that help is nearby when needed.