There are a lot of senior living options in the St. Louis area – and they’re not all the same. If you’re starting to consider senior living for yourself or a loved one, here’s what you need to know about the different types of communities and what they offer.
Active Adult Communities
Typically restricted to people who are 55+, these senior living options offer residential living, usually in single-family homes, townhomes or condominiums, either for sale or for rent. Meals, outdoor maintenance, and other services might be included in the resident’s monthly fee, and the community could offer amenities such as a clubhouse, golf course and recreational spaces. Assistance with activities of daily living and long-term care aren’t typically provided, but access or referral to nearby health care providers may be.
Assisted Living Communities
These communities offer a combination of housing and personalized supportive services designed to meet the needs of older adults who require help with daily activities. Many assisted living communities are free-standing. Within a senior community setting, services may include any or all of the following:
- Assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, toileting and walking
- Access to health and medical services
- 24/7 security and staff availability
- Emergency call system for each resident’s home
- Health promotion and exercise programs
- Medication reminders
- Personal laundry services
- Social and recreational activities
- Three meals a day served in a common dining area
- Housekeeping services
- Transportation
Assisted living often includes memory support services within the same community. Differing from a senior living community with a continuum of care, free-standing assisted living or memory support communities generally don’t require entrance fees. Adults are directly admitted to the community and pay a monthly rental rate plus fees for medication and other medically related services.
Independent Living Communities
These communities provide a residential living setting for seniors who require minimal or no assistance. Higher levels of living, such as assisted living or skilled nursing may or may not be provided. Independent living housing options may be apartments or free-standing homes secured either by an entrance fee or through a rental arrangement. A monthly fee for services and amenities is also required..
Life Care Communities
Life Care communities such as ours are designed to provide an active, fulfilling lifestyle for older adults, along with peace of mind for the future. They offer several kinds of residences for independent living along with higher levels of care, typically assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation and skilled nursing. In independent living, a community may offer apartments, free-standing homes, attached homes or other residential options. Assisted living residents usually live in apartments, while those in skilled nursing and memory support areas generally reside in suites or rooms, either private or shared.
Life Care communities provide a specific type of long-term contract between the resident and the community; this remains in effect until the person is no longer a resident of the community. A Life Care contract offers maintenance-free living, myriad services and amenities, and priority access to a continuum of health care, commonly all on one campus or site.
Most Life Care communities require a one-time upfront entrance fee and a predictable monthly fee, which gives the resident the right to occupy an independent living residence, enjoy all the services and amenities offered by the community, and have access to long-term on-site health care when and if they need it. If the resident requires assisted living, memory support or skilled nursing, the community provides the appropriate level of care at the independent living monthly rate — or possibly at a slightly raised or discounted rate.
Age restriction is usually 62+, although that varies from one community to another. While all Life Care communities offer residential accommodations and amenities, the range and cost of entrance fees and monthly fees will vary.
Memory Care/Memory Support
Many senior living communities include specialized areas dedicated to caring for residents needing memory care for Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia or cognitive impairments. There are also some stand-alone memory care communities. Usually services and amenities are on-site, with group activities and events included. Most memory care programs include technologies and interventions that can decrease the anxieties and difficulties related to dealing with dementia.
Skilled Nursing Care
Whether accommodations and services are offered in a free-standing skilled nursing facility or in a designated area of a full-service community, skilled nursing care is designed for older adults who require full-time care, or assistance with most, if not all, activities of daily living. Skilled nursing units are licensed and offer 24/7 medical care by trained medical staff, such as a registered nurse or therapist. They may also include rehabilitation services, memory support services and other types of specialized care. They are typically Medicare/Medicaid-certified, and monthly fees include meals, personal assistance and most medical services (except for medications).
Friendship Village
Friendship Village is the only Life Care community in the St. Louis area. Your entrance fee and monthly fee give you access to a full continuum of care. That means you can live the life you love now and have a smart plan for future care at predictable costs. We offer independent living, assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation and skilled nursing. Our skilled nursing and rehabilitation have achieved the INTERACT Center of Excellence designation, which shows our commitment to high-quality care and reduced hospital readmissions.
If you have questions about your senior living options, and the Friendship Village difference, feel free to contact us – we’re here to help you make the decision that’s right for you.