Now That About 70 Percent of Seniors May Require Long-Term Care, How Can Mom Afford It?

August 11, 2022 by ·

According to some recent estimates, medical professionals believe almost three-quarters of seniors at this point have required or will require some type of long-term care. That’s a staggering statistic, especially when you realize that the percentage of elderly men and women (those 65 and over) will dramatically increase compared to the rest of the US population over the next 15 years.

As the baby boomer generation continues to retire, it is placing increased pressure on the health care sector. It is also impacting elder care, including assisted living.

 

More seniors are opting for assisted living communities.

Assisted Living Saraland, Al: Long-Term Care

Assisted Living Saraland, Al: Long-Term Care

In the past, a lot of people in their mid to later years of life had certain misconceptions about assisted living. They associated it with other types of elder care, but as more people depend on it and more quality assisted living communities focus on quality of life, it becomes a more appealing option.

With an all-encompassing community, living at one of these communities can be challenging for some, especially if your mother is limited in her income. However, she can enjoy many of the benefits that assisted living offers without having to move in.

 

An increasing number of assisted living facilities offer respite care services.

This means your mother might be able to spend her nights at an assisted living facility in the area. Instead of moving her entire life, upending all that she knows and has lived for the past several decades, she can go to an assisted living facility nearby, sleep there surrounded by experienced staff in case of an emergency or that she might need assistance getting out of bed and going to the bathroom, for example, and then return home in the morning.

That’s just one of a growing number of respite care services that quality assisted living facilities are offering. Another is for your mother to spend the day or afternoon at a local community.

She can be home and you can check on her or, if she lives with you, you can then drop her off for daytime care. While you head off to work, run errands, or just get some relief from the constant rigors of caregiving for an aging parent, she can take part in various activities, be in a safe, comfortable environment, and maintain a high quality of life, despite the increasing health or physical challenges she faces.

 

What about long-term outlooks?

Your mother can rely on this type of respite care service from her local assisted living community for many years. She may prefer to remain home or she may feel that her finances are not such that she won’t be able to move in, but once people sit down and calculate what it will actually cost, factor in the equity they’ve built up in their home, and notice that they can afford it, they begin to realize this truly is a great option.

Yes, demand for elder care options like assisted living will increase. That can limit availability and increase the price structure, but when you recognize the value of assisted living respite care services, you or your mom can really afford it.

If you or an aging loved one are considering a move to an Assisted Living in Saraland, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

Filed Under: Assisted Living · Tagged: ,
About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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