What I Heard about Assisted Living in Citronelle AL vs. What I Learned !

November 22, 2013 by ·

If you’re anything like me, at least the way I was when I first started looking into care options for my aging father, then you have some preconceive ideas, or notions about assisted living.  There are so many myths about it, especially because of stories that we hear about in the news or worse, the movies, which make us think that assisted living is simply this horrid end to life where elderly patients are dropped off when their family no longer wants to deal with them.Assisted Living Citronelle AL

Okay, well, that may be more in line with nursing homes, but what did I know?  I was naïve, as most would say.  I didn’t know that there was a difference between the two.  In fact, I honestly thought that an assisted living facility was just another fancy term for a nursing home.  Of course, I learned quite a bit differently in the recent months.

One of the first things that I learned was that there are personal care homes, which are an alternative name for assisted living facilities, and there are nursing homes.  Nursing homes are more for elderly patients who require direct, and significant nursing care. They may have serious illnesses, or injuries that they are recovering from and can’t be at home, unless they around the clock care from a registered nurse.  This type of care facility is actually one of the most expensive, even though I had been told that they weren’t.

Then you have your assisted living facility.  This is where elderly individuals go to live in their own apartments, or homes within a building or community and can live as independently as they want or can, but can also take advantage of the amenities and activities that are provided by the facility itself.  If they want to cook their own food one night, in the comfort of their home, they can do that, or they can stroll down to a cafeteria and have their meal premade and sit and eat with friends that they make there, their neighbors.  Of course, not all facilities provide the same options, so it’s important to check with any facility that you’re interested in.

I learned that assisted living is just what the name implies.  It allows seniors to live independently, but without the hassle of the upkeep and maintenance of a home.  My father loves where he’s living now and that is one of the best reasons why I’m glad I separated fact from fiction when it comes to assisted living.

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

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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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