Retirement and Assisted Living

Assisted Living Communities

An Assisted Living Community (ALC) bridges the gap for seniors who need assistance with daily activities a nursing home might offer but wish to live independently so long as they are capable of doing so. Residents in an ALC are unable to live completely by themselves but do not require constant supervision. An ALC offers its residents assistance with eating bathing dressing laundry housekeeping and keeping track of medications. They often have centers for medical services but typically do not offer the extensive medical services provided by a nursing home. An ALC is not a substitute for a nursing home but rather is a stepping stone between complete independence and services provided by a nursing home.

Often an ALC will create an individualized service plan for seniors upon admission detailing personal services that will be provided to the resident. This plan is periodically reviewed and updated to provide the appropriate care to each resident. Housing in an ALC may be studios or one-bedroom apartments with small kitchen facilities. Typically ALC housing units have group dining facilities and common areas where residents gather to enjoy social and recreational activities.

An ALC may be licensed as a “Type A” or “Type B” facility says Martinez. “A facility with a Type A licensing means that the residents are mentally and physically able to vacate the building without assistance within 15 minutes” says Martinez. “A Type B certification means that residents require assistance to vacate the building within 15 minutes. Our facility is licensed for Type B as we are also certified to care for residents with Alzheimer’s Disease.”

“Your first impression of an Assisted Living Community is the most important” says Martinez. “What do you see when you get out of the car? How do they take care of the lawn? What is your first impression of the staff? Are the residents properly dressed? How’s the lighting inside the buildings? What activities are available? Are staff members all in the same uniform? Scrubs are not appropriate for an Assisted Living Community but name tags are important.”

“I’m not bragging about our own facility” says Martinez of her own community Parmer Woods Retirement & Assisted Living “but people comment all the time about that first impression when they walk into my building go on the tour and acknowledge that they like what they see.”

Nursing Care Facilities

A Nursing Care Facility (NCF) is a state licensed private-care facility that provides 24-hour skilled hospital care for residents who do not require hospitalization but cannot be cared for at home. Also called Long Term Care Facilities the majority of nursing homes are staffed by caring trained persons who provide an excellent level of service for their residents.

It pays to shop around when selecting an NCF. Seniors should consult with a trusted doctor or health care practitioner for recommendations of nearby facilities. Plan on visiting at least four or five area facilities and make an appointment with the administrator or director of nursing. Check to make sure that information provided is consistent with information gathered during the facility tour. Discrepancies between provided information and your own observations indicate possible problems later on. A nursing care facility should have clean floors and smell clean. Facilities with dirty floors and a sour smell do not put a high priority on cleanliness and should not be considered.

Ask to see the compliance survey report prepared by the State of Texas on the considered facility. The report will list deficiencies found in resident care during routine inspections and the facility’s effort to correct the problem. Under Texas law nursing homes must make this and other survey compliance reports available upon request as well as provide an accessible and well-lit place for review.

Another option available is to call the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) at 800-458-9858. While state law prohibits agency employees from recommending one facility over another they can answer the following recommended questions about any such facility:

• Have there been any proposed license terminations in the past two years?

• How many complaints have been filed in the past year?

• How many complaints in the past year have been found to be valid?

• How many deficiencies have been cited in the past two years?

• How many “quality of care” violations have been cited in the past two years?

• When did DADS last visit the facility and what was the purpose of the visit?

• Has the owner of this facility had other facilities recommended for license termination?

The answers to these questions combined with observations and impressions made during facility tours and staff interviews will ease the task of selecting the right nursing care facility.