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Senior HousingContents:
Click here for a list of those providers that have adopted the Code of Ethics.
AGING SERVICES OF MINNESOTA GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR DEMENTIA CARE
Click here for a list of those providers that have adopted Guiding Principles for Dementia. AGING SERVICES OF MINNESOTA CONFIDENT CHOICES FOR SENIOR LIVING
Purpose of the Confident Choices for Senior Living Initiative Confident Choices for Senior Living is an Aging Services of Minnesota initiative designed to:
This initiative has been designed specifically for housing-with-services and assisted living settings, where consumers can choose from a wide variety of options. The requirements have been developed by experienced housing-with-services providers and are based on standards of practice that truly influence the quality of a consumer's experience. Aging Services of Minnesota believes the Confident Choices for Senior Living will improve quality in housing-withservices settings by:
Providers that meet the requirements of Confident Choices are recognized with the Confident Choices designation. It is envisioned that consumers will look for the Confident Choices logo as they are choosing their housing provider and that those organizations earning the Confident Choices designation will be viewed by their peers, consumers and others as being among the best in the field. Click here for a list of those providers that have earned the Confident Choices designation. MORE THAN A PLACE: SENIOR HOUSING IS A LIFESTYLE! While Minnesotans are fortunate to have so many choices, there are some obvious pros and cons with a move to senior housing. Unfortunately, many people postpone such a decision until they are facing a crisis. When that happens, it is difficult for older persons and their families to explore the many options available, ensure they have accounted for all their needs and desires, and make the best informed choice for their situation. In addition, people moving from a private home to senior housing may experience a sense of loss due to change. Such losses could include the life memories they leave behind in their private home, the cherished garden they nurtured, or a neighbor they would see everyday. Two of the most common feelings experienced by older persons are the loss of independence they feel when moving from their long-time home and the fear that they will be unable to make friends in their new setting. Although a move into senior housing can be a tough choice for older persons, there are tremendous benefits which such settings offer. One national study showed that an older person living in a senior housing community had an average life expectancy of four-and-one-half years longer than a comparable person living in a private home. Three key reasons were cited for the life expectancy increase among senior housing dwellers: 1) availability of needed health and supportive services; 2) well-balanced, nutritious meals provided on-site; and 3) opportunities for activities and frequent socialization. Senior housing can compensate for some of the physical losses in life as a person ages, particularly when home maintenance tasks once taken for granted become a burden. Some seniors move just to avoid the mowing, painting, shoveling and other tasks home ownership entails. Others look to the security of a group setting, and all senior communities offer opportunities for socialization and companionship. This can be particularly important for those who have lost a spouse or are having problems getting out on their own. In many senior housing settings, the security of emergency call services is offered, along with health or supportive services as needed. Scheduled transportation to shopping and appointments; assistance with personal cares such as bathing, grooming and dressing; housekeeping and laundry services; meals; and assistance with medications are but some of the common services available. Depending on the community, many other amenities may be available, including community rooms, beauty and barber shops, garden plots, exercise rooms, libraries, walking paths, and more! Source: Aging Services of Minnesota, July 2010 Assisted Living services are a coordinated package of supportive and health related services made available to residents living in a senior building registered as a housing-with-services establishment. The health related services must be provided by a licensed home care provider. Minnesota's Assisted Living law requires assisted living programs to offer a minimum number of services, but most assisted living programs provide many additional services. At minimum, assisted living providers must offer:
Assisted living providers must make available to prospective residents the Uniform Consumer Information Guide, which includes important information about services and costs. Various types and sizes of senior buildings can offer assisted living services, including corporate adult foster care settings, board and lodging establishments, non-certified boarding care homes and apartment buildings. Some apartment buildings that were originally designed to serve "independent" seniors may offer assisted living services to those residents who now need assistance, while other apartment buildings have been specially designed for assisted living programs and feature small-scale, private apartments with individual kitchens or kitchenettes. Because Minnesota' regulations allow for flexibility in the design of assisted living programs and in the size and type of buildings where these programs are available, consumers will find that assisted living programs do not all look alike. When looking for assisted living, consumers should study each building's Uniform Consumer Information Guide, which includes important information about available services, fees and more. Consumers should also visit several buildings and ask questions in order to find the building and service package that best suits their needs. Board and Lodging establishments may vary greatly in size, some resembling small homes with only five residents and others more like large apartment buildings. Residents have private or shared rooms, but do not have individual kitchens. These settings are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health or by a local health department. In addition to three meals per day, many of these settings offer a variety of supportive services (such as housekeeping and personal laundry) or home care services (such as help with dressing and bathing, medication administration, etc.) to residents. Condominiums offer ownership housing in an apartment-style building or townhouse-style complex. Condo residents hold title to their own living unit and share ownership of the common areas with other owners in the development. Continuing Care Retirement Communities are campus-style developments offering a range of housing and long-term care services to the residents. Residents pay an entrance fee as well as a monthly fee for a package of services specified in the residents' contract, which includes a residence, services and nursing care when needed. Cooperatives are another form of ownership housing in a multi-family building or complex. The development is owned by a corporation on behalf of the occupants, and the owner occupants buy shares in the corporation in exchange for the right to occupy a specific living unit. Federally-Subsidized Rental buildings serve low-income people and vary in size and type. Some are privately-owned buildings (e.g., Section 202, Section 236 or Section 8 and Farmer's Home 515 buildings), while public housing buildings are owned by city or county public housing authorities. Some subsidized buildings have arranged home care and other services for their residents and a few subsidized buildings offer assisted living programs. A few developers and communities have used tax credits and local resources, rather than federal subsidies, to provide housing for low-income people. Housing-with-Services settings include a variety of types of rental buildings (e.g., market rate rental apartments, subsidized apartments, board and lodging establishments, corporate adult foster care homes, non-certified boarding care homes) that offer or provide for a fee either:
All housing-with-services settings must provide advance information to prospective residents about available services, fees and other important information and must enter into a written contract with those who decide to move in. They must also register annually with the Minnesota Department of Health. Health-related services arranged for residents by a housing-with-services establishment must be provided by a licensed home care agency. Market Rate Rental housing has no government rental subsidy; thus, the rent levels are determined by the real estate market. Although some of these buildings may offer few services, others offer a broad range of services such as meals, housekeeping, transportation, activities, service coordination and home care services. Some offer full assisted living programs. Non-Certified Boarding Care Homes are licensed as health care facilities by the Minnesota Department of Health, but they are often quite homelike and may seem more like an assisted living setting. They offer personal care and supportive services, but not skilled nursing care. Unlike other boarding care homes, these homes are not certified to participate in the Medicaid program, although qualifying residents may receive Medicaid waiver services provided under a home care license. Other Names for Senior Buildings and Service Packages. In advertisements, some of the buildings in the categories listed above may use other terms to describe their setting. Many smaller buildings licensed as corporate adult foster care or board and lodging are now calling themselves "residential care homes." Consumers will also hear different names used for service programs, such as "catered living," but consumers should know that state law prohibits providers from calling their services "assisted living" unless they meet all of the requirements in Minnesota's assisted living law. No matter what name is used, senior housing will either be (1) rental or (2) ownership housing (e.g., condo or coop-type). And no matter what name is used to describe the building's services, consumers should do their homework and learn exactly what services are available and the cost of the services. Source: Aging Services of Minnesota, July 2010 |
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Look for this seal to find providers who have adopted the Aging Services of Minnesota's Housing-with-Services Code of Ethics. These organizations have agreed to standards for the quality of care and open communications that residents and their families should expect. By adopting the Code of Ethics, they pledge to strive to provide high quality services and to operate under principles that will earn your trust.
Choosing the right care for someone with memory problems can involve a confusing array of choices. However, Aging Services of Minnesota has a helpful program called the Guiding Principles for Dementia Care. Aging Services' members with extensive experience in caring for people with Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia created the Guiding Principles for Dementia Care. These principles guide consumers toward understanding the key components for dementia care programs and provide a guide to the questions they should ask when they are seeking dementia care services for a loved one. Facilities that adopt these principles display a gold seal at their facility and in their advertising to consumers.
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Aging Services of Minnesota 2550 University Avenue West, Suite 350S, St. Paul, MN 55114-1900 Phone: 651.645.4545 Toll Free: 800.462.5368 Fax: 651.645.0002 |
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