[DaleDivine]

Originally Posted by Girlcopper

I had to comment on the P.S. yes, the son should get his butt in gear and come down here and get her settled in. Im pretty sure he will come poking around in her final days to see whats left for him to take home. Theres always that one in every family who wont take on any responsibility

Regarding her son, he will not be able to assist his mother as he is currently on a federal paid vacation and won't return for another eight years.

I'm pretty sure this means he's incarcerated for the next 8 years. Which might be a good thing for Mom. This might keep him from taking everything she has and leaving her homeless.

[Gulfcoast]

Originally Posted by Looking for next wife

Oh, I forgot. Never hire a "company" that supplies live in caregivers. They charge a fortune, will hire the dregs, will send anybody, and I mean anybody over, and they pay the people actually doing the work an insulting amount which means they never have good people. I know of situations where the caregivers of the "companies" were doing meth on the job, pot on the job, show up drunk, having sex with their boyfriends with the patient in the room, having multi visitors over, etc. Just get ONE with references that you actually visit and interview them also.

If she hires a caregiver through an agency, the agency will take care of payroll issues including taxes. If she hires a caregiver directly then she might very well need to talk to an accountant to make sure that the proper taxes are withheld from the caregiver's pay.

Also, if the lady has long term care insurance, those policies often only pay for caregivers hired through agencies.

The other thing to consider about a live in, private hire caregiver is that if the caregiver gets sick, has a family emergency, simply needs a vacation or suddenly quits someone will have to be involved to arrange backup care which can be a huge and ever changing responsibility. Unless Op wants to be the back up caregiver, I would not go that route.

I wish that things were more straightforward because eldercare is a very common need but unfortunately there is a lot to navigate. The lady probably does need to speak to a lawyer.

[retiredguy123]

When you consider all of the rules for minimum wage, payroll taxes, benefits, etc. for a live in caretaker, and the cost to maintain the house, I think it is a lot less expensive to sell the house and move into an assisted living facility. That is what I discovered when my mother was alive.

[Boomer]

medicare.gov has a section to compare providers where you can find ratings and some details.

But I am not sure if stand-alone assisted living facilities are included there. If assisted living is part of a CCRC, it will be noted.

Someone mentioned buy-ins and while I am not familiar with how those work in Florida, I know that in my Ohio hometown, some of the more expensive, non-profit CCRCs have them as a one-time, pro-rated entrance cost. There still will be a monthly fee but at a somewhat reduced rate.

Buy-ins require a clear and definite understanding. They are not inexpensive. But a buy-in (or entrance fee) does not always mean “the facility takes all.”

The original entrance cost, that can be required when entering independent living in a CCRC, should apply throughout the stay as healthcare needs change and the resident moves through the types of care.

I have known of 5-year prorating being a part of some facilities’ entrance costs where the estate is refunded should 5 years not be the length of the stay. I do not know if that also applies should the resident decide to move out. I don’t know how that works in different states or types of facilities. For-profit? Non-profit? Levels of care needed?

Sometimes financial reviews can be a part of entrance to determine actuarially how long private pay might be possible before Medicaid is needed for care. But, as far as I know, Medicaid will not cover assisted living.

Well, I am definitely in over my head here and probably should shut up. I am not in the LTC business or profession. There are so many variables in elder-care situations. Navigating through those variables can be complicated and might require a trusted elder-care attorney to be sure all the questions are answered before a decision is made. Sometimes it is hard to even know what all the questions should be.

Boomer

PS: No matter how good a facility appears to be, known visitors are important, especially as care needs increase.

[DaleDivine]

My neighbor across the street has parents that live in Freedom Pointe. They had to pay $350,000 up front and are paying $5000 monthly. After they're both gone, heirs will get 1/2
($175,000)of the up front money back.

[BCCAR334]

Originally Posted by DaleDivine

My neighbor across the street has parents that live in Freedom Pointe. They had to pay $350,000 up front and are paying $5000 monthly. After they're both gone, heirs will get 1/2
($175,000)of the up front money back.

I have heard good things about Freedom Pointe. What is the average monthly cost, ""without"" the large down payment for a single person? What would happen if both parents expire soon; does this mean the ALF keeps $175,000 for a short term stay? Almost an incentive for the ALF to hope their patients expire soon. Seems awkward to me.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by BCCAR334

I have heard good things about Freedom Pointe. What is the average monthly cost, ""without"" the large down payment for a single person? What would happen if both parents expire soon; does this mean the ALF keeps $175,000 for a short term stay? Almost an incentive for the ALF to hope their patients expire soon. Seems awkward to me.

If the cost for 2 people is $5,000 per month, it sounds like they are in the independent living building, not assisted living. So, they don't get any medical care. There is no option at Freedom Pointe where you don't pay a large entrance fee. Basically, the entrance fee provides two things, a discounted rate if you move from independent living to the assisted living building, and a guarantee that they will never throw you out if you run out of money. So, it is similar to buying long term care insurance. When you sign up, there are several options regarding how much of the entrance fee goes to your heirs, with the cheapest option being that no money goes to the heirs. But, with all of the options, there is about a 5 year period where you will get some money back based on how long you stay. So, if you leave within a year, you would get most of the money back.

[Boomer]

Road Trip?

A friend took her dad to visit Shell Point, a CCRC in Fort Myers.

He can still do independent living, but it could be a good time for him to make the CCRC decision.

Both said Shell Point was very nice. But she can’t quite budge him yet.

Shell Point is about 200 miles from TV but a whole lot closer than his northern home.

I have never been there but I have checked out the website which has a lot of details online — that can give you a general feel for a type of CCRC.

[Gulfcoast]

Maybe it depends on the facility, but Independent Living accommodations are usually roomier and more like a regular apartment. You have the option to eat the meals provided in the dining room or you can cook a meal in your own apartment. You have weekly light housekeeping, sometimes light laundry service but you get no care giving type assistance or medical - help bathing, dressing, taking meds, etc.

Many people in the Independent Living facilities are still driving, although they have the option to take the shuttle to doctors appts and to run errands if that is what they prefer to do. There are also activities, entertainment and group outings.

Assisted Living facility rooms are often, not always, smaller because the person often has mobility issues and needs help with their personal care.

As far as the continuing care facilities go where you move from Independent Living to Assisted Living or Memory care to nursing care, it sounds good in theory, but I'm not clear on how they manage the downsizing that comes with each higher level of care. Who determines when it's time to take the keys away from a driver? What happens to the car? Who is making sure that the registration and insurance are being paid on the car if it isn't sold? Who helps a person with sudden mobility issues to downsize into a smaller apartment for assisted living and then maybe even into a semi private room for nursing care? Who is dealing with those logistics?

[retiredguy123]

According to the OP, her neighbor doesn't drive and has memory issues. She needs assisted living, not independent living. She should visit a few and pick one. If you pay by the month, you can always move to another facility if you don't like it. With a budget of $9,000 per month, she can probably afford any assisted living facility in The Villages, especially if she sells the house.

I think it is sad that The Villages doesn't offer better transportation and other assistance for elderly people when they are living alone.

[Gulfcoast]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

According to the OP, her neighbor doesn't drive and has memory issues. She needs assisted living, not independent living. She should visit a few and pick one. If you pay by the month, you can always move to another facility if you don't like it. With a budget of $9,000 per month, she can probably afford any assisted living facility in The Villages, especially if she sells the house.

I think it is sad that The Villages doesn't offer better transportation and other assistance for elderly people when they are living alone.

I agree with your assessment.

Originally Posted by BCCAR334

First time poster and a recent newcomer to The Villages and I have used this message boards in the past to obtain a lot of good information. I am seeking information for an elderly single female neighbor who lives by herself that asked me to help her secure new housing within The Villages to help her into her older days.

My next door neighbor is a widower, up in age, memory is starting to fail her and she has stopped driving. She lives in a very large house here in The Villages, but she is seeking an assisted living area within or near The Villages to help her with her everyday task. The lady is financially secure, her house is paid and her total living monthly budget needs to be under $9000 ( pension & SS ) for all expenses. Unfortunately her only surviving son is not capable of assisting her and she has asked me for help.

My wife and I are not that familiar with any ALF's in the area. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks Jose & Maria

She needs an advocate to watch the lawyer and ALF. Sometimes the ALF will hire green card foreigners who are lazy and dishonest. And if the lawyer is going to do all these assessments fees could add up. I would definitely seek government help for seniors to find your best option.

[BCCAR334]

Originally Posted by John41

She needs an advocate to watch the lawyer and ALF. Sometimes the ALF will hire green card foreigners who are lazy and dishonest. And if the lawyer is going to do all these assessments fees could add up. I would definitely seek government help for seniors to find your best option.

Hello John-
With your understanding and permission, I strongly disagree. My name is Jose, the OP and her attorney who is helping her is a very competent and honest attorney. He is the founding partner of his law firm which has over 35 attorneys working for him. He has taken on this task to assist this lady for pro bono and I'm very confident, his lawn firm can do much more than any civil servant employee. This lady has generated a lot of income for this attorney during the past years and this is his way of paying it forward.
Believe it or not, there are many excellent, hard-working attorneys who do a lot of good for society without expecting paying. Not many any more, but a few good guys are still out there. Thank you and everyone for their input. Jose

[kathyspear]

Sorry I took so long to follow up with my comments re: Elan/Watercrest Spanish Springs. I had to go out of town for a few days for a family funeral.

I am happy to try to answer any questions I can. If you respond please do not quote my entire message, as it is quite long!

kathy

We visited the facility and were very favorably impressed. (It is the only place we have seen so far and we will go see a few others.)

The location is fabulous from the standpoint of distance from our house (five minutes by car, 7 or 8 min. by cart). It is also a two block or so walk to the heart of Spanish Springs so residents who are fairly mobile can walk to restaurants, music in the evenings, the movie theater (should it ever reopen). They also have a very nice van/bus that takes them wherever they want to go. (Transportation is included in the monthly fee.)

The Spanish Springs location has Assisted Living (AL) and Memory Care (MC). The Buena Vista location (at 466 and Buena Vista) also has Independent Living. Mom-in-Law (MIL) is ready for AL at this point so SS would work for us. BV has, I think, 120 residents but SS only has 50.

They have four sizes of rooms, each with a small kitchenette:

(1) A very small studio, really the size of a hotel room. Space for a double or queen bed and two chairs with a small table in one corner. The closet in this space is like what you find in a typical guest bedroom in a home (NOT a walk-in closet).

(2) A larger studio with room for any size bed on one side (could probably accommodate a king size bed although I don’t know why a single elderly person would want or need that). The other half of the room could accommodate a sofa and chair or two, coffee table, and a small two-person dining table. Closet is a walk-in. Bathrooms are very large and nice.

(3) One bedroom, with a living room and bedroom that (combined) would probably equal the amount of space in the large studio. Large walk-in closet. Large updated bathroom.

(4) They also have two bedroom units but they don’t expect any 2-bedroom availability any time soon.

When you walk through the front doors there is a huge great room with a fireplace and tv above. Very impressive. To the right is a large dining room. They have a daily “special” planned out for each meal for the month but they also have a lengthy list of foods they can order all day. They also have a bar with beer and wine. (Food and bar are included in monthly fee.) We met the chef and he gave us some fresh-baked cookies.

Someone comes in daily to make the bed and collect trash. They clean the apartments and change bed linens once a week. They will do laundry for the residents but if they prefer, they can do their own. (Two laundry rooms on each floor.) They have a hair salon on site. (Not included in the fee but very reasonable, with a price list posted outside the door.) They have a theater room and a couple other activity rooms.

Since the management was taken over by Watercrest they are doing some updating. Dan thought the apartments were nice but that the halls were a little dark and gloomy. I think that is mostly because of the bland, patterned carpeting in the halls. Our guide is hoping they re-do that soon.

As far as fees:

There is a $2500 entry fee, which is probably mostly to cover administrative processing.

They allow pets with a $500 pet deposit.

The base monthly fees are:

$4390 (small studio)
$5035 (larger studio)
$5625 (one bedroom)
$6860 (two bedroom)

The base fee also includes wifi, cable tv, phone, and an emergency call pendant.

The apartments are NOT furnished so residents need to bring or purchase furnishings.

In addition, there is a monthly “care fee” which is based on the amount of assistance the resident requires on a daily basis. Fee is determined by reviewing a several-page document that must be filled out by the resident’s primary care physician AND an in-person evaluation by their nurse. Care fee runs from $250 to $1600 and can be adjusted up or down throughout the stay, if the resident’s situation changes. (i.e. If someone comes there straight out of the hospital or rehab they might temporarily need more assistance.)

In our case, we think that either the large studio or one bedroom would work well for MIL. She currently has round the clock aides. Besides the cost (!!!) she isn’t getting the kind of physical and mental stimulation she would get in an assisted living situation. We are hoping she is amenable to such a move.

Originally Posted by BCCAR334

Hello John-
With your understanding and permission, I strongly disagree. My name is Jose, the OP and her attorney who is helping her is a very competent and honest attorney. He is the founding partner of his law firm which has over 35 attorneys working for him. He has taken on this task to assist this lady for pro bono and I'm very confident, his lawn firm can do much more than any civil servant employee. This lady has generated a lot of income for this attorney during the past years and this is his way of paying it forward.
Believe it or not, there are many excellent, hard-working attorneys who do a lot of good for society without expecting paying. Not many any more, but a few good guys are still out there. Thank you and everyone for their input. Jose

Not sure why you think a lawyer can do more than any civil servant, but you asked for advice and it’s still the same to have an advocate keep an eye on the lawyer and ALF.