Assisted Living Alternatives
Continuous care retirement communities (CCRC) are a very popular option for many people considering long-term care. However, today we want to discuss an alternative option that may be better for you.
We recently had the chance to sit down with Marcia Miller of Spill the Beans Institute to discuss assisted living alternatives that are something everyone hitting retirement age should at least know about.
Who is Marcia Miller?
Marcia is the owner and operator of Serenity Adult Family Care Home. She runs a private care home center, and she got the idea after caring for a family member for six or seven years. After starting her journey, it was a real revelation for her.
Private Side of Care Homes vs. CCRCs
When caring for her aunt, she learned quickly what to expect from large communities and private home communities. Large communities have drawbacks, such as not having a bath daily.
CCRCs lack the individual care and attention many people want from their loved ones.
However, when you choose private home centers like Serenity, your loved one:
- Receives individualized care
- Saves money
- One-on-one care
Instead of living in large complexes, these smaller facilities require that the owner lives with the clients. In this case, you receive extreme care that isn’t possible with traditional assisted living centers.
From a standard of care standpoint, these care homes allow for the same high standards as a large care facility with very close care and attention rarely seen outside of a family member caring for a loved one.
Spill the Beans Institute helps caregivers help others go beyond retirement planning questions to teach people how to become a caregiver while providing financial security for themselves.
With this structure, caregivers can:
- Earn an income
- Hire a nurse or caregiver
- Bring in one or two friends for the loved one
Caregiving burdens are relieved with the addition of income and the financial stability to care for loved ones. Of course, people can become a part of these small communities and have the intimate care that people often only offer to their loved ones.
If a person is hospice eligible, they can age in place at their home.
In situations that require round-the-clock nursing care, they may transition to a nursing home that can offer the intensive care the person needs.
Finding Private Care Houses
A person’s diagnosis will determine whether a private care home is the right choice for them. For example, these facilities are not an ideal option for people who are:
- Combative
- Requiring intense care
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find these private care homes. You’ll need to dig deep into local databases to find these facilities. Marcia offers a nonprofit database to help people find private care facilities in Florida.
However, many states have their own care homes that allow you to receive the strong, intimate care you deserve without needing to go into a CCRC.
If you want to learn more about retirement or are concerned about how long-term-care will impact your retirement, contact us to discuss your options with you.