Moving to independent or assisted living

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Old 12-12-2018, 06:59 PM
queasy27 queasy27 is offline
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Default Moving to independent or assisted living

Have others been thinking about an eventual move to independent or assisted living? If so, I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Do you have friends and family who have made the move, and were they happy with the decision? Or are you intending to stay in your house until you're no longer physically able to?

It's such a roll of the dice, in terms of crystal-balling to foresee what kind of health care and assistance you might or might not need in the future.

My interest was spurred by my parents who waited until their early nineties and had a very difficult time the last year on their own. I've been touring local facilities and there are real pros and cons for the two options, as well as an overlap of services in some facilities between independent and assisted.

Of course this doesn't even include critical and memory care facilities, which, if it comes to that, are more a necessity than option.
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Old 12-13-2018, 07:40 PM
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Topspinmo Topspinmo is offline
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One thing you’re going to need! Boat load of cash
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Old 12-13-2018, 08:46 PM
Carla B Carla B is offline
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Yes, lots of cash. Sumter Grande for their largest apartment a few years ago = $6,000 per month.
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Old 12-13-2018, 09:02 PM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is online now
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I have checked out several of these faciilties. In my opinion, the problem is that they really don't provide the medical and transportation services that people who live alone need. They all require that you pay for meals that you probably don't need or want. But, when you are sick, you need a nurse or doctor immediately, preferably on site 24/7 and you need reliable transportation to get to doctor appointments and to the hospital in an emergency. What good is it that they will feed you 3 times a day and provide an exercise class, but won't take you to the doctor or hospital when you need to go? They seem to be totally missing the point of why people want to move into a facility. I can order food from my house, but I don't want to call 911 when I need to go to the hospital, and, I don't want to depend on neighbors and casual friends to take me to the doctor or for a medical procedure. These facilities are just not addressing what people really need. Freedom Point probably provides the best level of care, but they are expensive and require a large upfront payment.

Last edited by retiredguy123; 12-14-2018 at 04:06 AM.
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Old 12-14-2018, 09:05 AM
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jane032657 jane032657 is offline
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First there are two topics here.

Independent living is like living on your own. With exceptions. You have no yard work. There are a few meals a day offered in the dining room. There is housekeeping offered once a week in many. There is entertainment, transportation on certain days within a certain radius, you have comradery outside your door, there are activities and outings planned. You have your apartment with the above offered. If you need extra help, you hire it like you would do at home and pay for it. There are no care staff at all, it is not its purpose.


Assisted living is not a medical facility. It gives you what independent living gives you with additional assistance. Assisted living has Certified Nursing Assistants and Nurses on staff to help residents with their activities of daily living as well as medication management. They are there to assist with things like bathing, dressing, getting to the dining room, taking meds. There is housekeeping offered once a week and linen change. They also pay attention to changes in the health of residents and will encourage doctors appointments or hospitalization as needed. They are not there to do your medical care such as having an in house doctor, though all assistive living communities have a doctor that may come in an see residents or provide consultation or oversight. Assisted living is governed by Florida statutes and are limited in the breadth and scope of medical intervention they can provide, such as wound care limitations, certain types of transfers, and high levels of medical care.


If you are in need of heavy medical care, than sadly the nursing home level is where you need to go, and there is nothing great to be said about any of them in the area. Or anywhere really. They are a far cry from assisted living and are there to treat you like a patient, not a resident.


As a former Assisted Living Administrator, I understand people are confused around levels of care. If you have 150 residents, you provide medical transportation on certain days within a certain radius, and encourage residents to make their appointments on those days. There are other residents who want a day for shopping, or outings. Assisted living is assisted, not full care. And yes it is outrageously expensive. I wish I had sold long term care insurance for a living because I recommend it to everyone.

Last, please as I say every time I respond to these discussions, look beyond the chandelier and foyer when you walk in, do not get sucked in by the attractive marketing people (male and female)...do your own due diligence, read State surveys of the facility, talk to residents and their families, and eat a whole lot of meals there before you decide to choose. And do not pay the move in fees or negotiate them down, or be sure you can get it back if you are not happy after 90 days.
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