Assisted Living Directory Blog

In the years that I have been working on this website, adding facilities and articles, it never occured to me that there is a segment of our population that (to me) seems under-represented in terms of assisted living.  This group is our military veterans.

There are almost 24 million military veterans in the United States, and almost 7 million of those veterans are over the age of 65.  I would think that there would be a lot more visibility and advertising for assisted living facilities for veterans - facilities that cater to people who have served in our military.

I know that there are numerous state-run facilities where veterans get benefits, but what I am talking about are facilities that are decorated as such - with flags, and military memorabilia on the walls, and a sense of community shared with other veterans.

This idea is also not to be limited to those who are seniors - but also available to veterans who have perhaps been disabled in the line of duty, who may also be younger, in their 20’s and 30’s.   I know that there is such a population.

I got the idea and inspiration to create a page in our directory for assisted living for veterans when I read a news article introducing a facility in Jacksonville, Florida that is brand-new, and caters to veterans.  I applaud Wakefield Place for creating an inspired home for our brave military veterans.

For more information on veteran’s affairs and assisted living, please visit www.va.gov

With all of the doom and gloom of the economy as of late, I was wondering if that affects the assisted living industry?  I am no economist, but I would imagine that it wouldn’t affect it negatively, since, if people need help or assistance, they really need to get it.  You can’t stop the aging process, and you can’t stop the progression of some diseases or conditions.

I would bet that the assisted living industry will remain a growth industry regardless of what the economy does.  Again, I am no economy guru, but that is my guess.

Here is an e-mail I received - I normally would delete but this one had some substance, so I thought I would post it.  This email does not indicated a “political stance” by our site by any means.

Hello to my fellow retirees,

Like many of you, Social Security is my principal source of income. Can you imagine if it had been privatized, as John McCain has wanted to do for years?  What a fix we’d be in right now!  Of course, today his proposals would affect only future seniors, but is that what you want to wish on future retirees?  To have modest income one day, only to have a large percentage of it disappear when another market bubble bursts?

We need to retire John McCain.  He was once a man of integrity who has run the sleaziest campaign in living memory.  Even Karl Rove has said that his anti-Obama ads stretch the truth beyond acceptable limits.  That’s Karl Rove, Bush’s chief strategist!  And now we learn that Clean John McCain is in bed with the gambling industry!

I say, give Obama/Biden a chance.  They are men of integrity, and they certainly can’t do a worse job than Bush/McCain.

Timothy Smith
Rehoboth Beach, DE

I keep thinking that I just don’t like the term “Assisted Living Facility.”  There is something about it that bugs me, and I think I know what it is.

The word “Facility” to me brings up images of stark hallways, sterile, washed out surroundings, beeping medical equipment, and a prison-like atmosphere.  Why I get this image I am not sure - maybe holding on too tightly to stereotypes of the past when nursing homes and hospitals were scary places of neglect and sadness.

I know that nowadays, most assisted living facilities strive to make their environment more homelike, and in some cases “resort” like.  I also know that many “facilities” are actually converted houses in residential areas that look nothing like a medical building or business.

That’s why I like “Assisted Living Homes” when referring to a senior care environment that offers assisted living.  It sounds more “homelike” - a place where apple pie is baking and a lazy housecat is resting on the couch.  After all, who wants to live in a facility.  I’d rather live in a home.

I completely forgot - that last week (the 7th through the 13th) was National Assisted Living week.  Gee whiz, I need to take my head out of the sand!  However, I’ll have to admit, this ‘event’ is a little bit obscure, kind of like Secretary’s day - something that doesn’t get a lot of national press or attention.

It should - as this is one of the fastest growing markets in our country, serving one of the fastest demographics in our country.

“The bond between staffers of assisted living facilities across the state and the seniors they help care for is the focus of National Assisted Living Week” as was proclaimed by Governor Dave Heineman of Nebraska.

I’ll try not to forget next year - not to say that if I forget, I will do anything differently - but, at least I will be able to write about it before it has passed!

My stomach is in knots today, thinking about everyone on the Gulf Coast in the face of Gustav.   Evacuations have begun and I think this time people are going to take Gustav very seriously.

I don’t live in the Gulf area, but I have to wonder what goes through the minds of assisted living facility administrators when a category 4 hurricane is barreling toward them.  Of course, most people would say, without much thought “evacuate the residents.”  But, what the averege person may not know is that some residents may be endangered more by the process of moving them than by the hurricane itself.

This is a decision that I would not like to ever have to make.   I know that during Katrina several facilities decided to ride the storm out, which resulted in disaster.

I really just wanted to send my good thoughts and energy towards everyone in this area.   I can’t imagine the stress you all are going through.

Blessings.

The Maine state Department of Health and Human Services cut funding to about 120 assisted living facilities that provide care for 4,000 residents.    The funding  “was being paid to assisted living facilities’ operators to ensure that residents with illnesses would not lose their beds during periods of prolonged hospitalization.”

Naturally, there were some strong reactions to this on both sides of the issue.    You can read the full article here.

This couldn’t have come at a worse time, the head of the Maine Health Care Association was quoted as saying.

You can now leave a comment on any one of our articles on our main site.  We just added this today!

When we write an article about assisted living, we realize that we are not the only expert out there, and we would love to hear our readers chime in with their 2 cents!

My great aunt was living in an assisted living facility in El Paso several years ago.    My folks and I were on a vacation when we received a phone call that she was gravely ill and only had a weeks, if not days to live.   We promptly packed up our luggage, got in the car, and drove about 600 miles overnight to El Paso to assist her.

We arrived at the hospital, and she did indeed look to be on her last days.   She was sunken, her pupils were dialated, and she was hardly coherent.  It wsa very sad, and I thought that she could go at any minute.

One topic of conversation that came up in the hallways was what to do with her beloved cat, Tatters.  Tatters was at home, and my great aunt was in no condition to give instructions on what to do with the cat.   The topic of the cat soon was forgotton as we attended to my aunt.

My aunt passed away a few days later.  I had to leave town as I had some work commitments to attend to, and came back the next week for the funeral.   I asked someone what happened to Tatters.   I learned that she too was put to sleep.

I wondered why this action was taken.  I am a cat lover, and would have happily taken Tatters if I had been asked to.  Maybe I should have volunteered to take her in the first place.

What is the best course of action when a pet is involved with a singular caretaker that is facing imminent death?   Is it better for the animal to be put to sleep, as it may suffer more with the loss of it’s owner?   Is it better to take it to the pound?

I don’t know the answers to these questions.  I do know that cats and dogs have successfully been handed to new owners at all stages of their lives, and that a lot of love and reassurance is what is needed.

I just wish that someone would have asked me.

I never really realized how big Fresno, California is.   I have most certainly heard about it many times, and I think that I have been through there a couple of times as a kid, but never really grasped that it is a pretty major city in California.   I suppose that it can be said that it is in a pretty good location too.   You are near wine country, the mountains and Yosemite, and just a hop and a skip away from Sacramento.   There is a pretty heatlthy senior population in Fresno as well - almost 50,000 residents are over 65!  Fresno also has the UCSF Fresno Alzheimer’s & Memory Center, which is a pretty big deal for many seniors considering assisted living in this area.

For these reasons, I have added Fresno assisted living to the site - a page dedicated to this great town.  My hope is that this page will become the difinitive resource for the Fresno area for assisted living and long-term care.

I think California in general is going to see a huge boom in the number of seniors in the coming 4-5 years.  The weather is one major factor that would attract more seniors, but California also has a very ‘friendly’ atmosphere when it comes to ‘alternative’ lifestyles, which may attract seniors that wouldn’t feel welcome in more conservative states.