Special promotional content in collaboration with The Osborn
One of the great appeals of The Osborn–in addition to its beautiful 56-acre Rye campus and top notch ratings–is its continuing care model. A loved one can enter The Osborn with her or his family knowing it offers the full array of care–from independent living to assisted living to memory care to skilled nursing.
Families often delay exploring senior living options until there is a crisis–a fall or other physical or cognitive medical decline that puts additional strain on the prospective resident and their caregivers. When self-managed, these crises can create more restrictive and stressful situations for the older parent and the caregiver.
“When addressed proactively, assisted living can empower both the resident and the caregiver,” said The Osborn’s Director of Assisted Living Kayla Kelly, LNHA MBA-HSA. “Mom or Dad can enjoy a home where she can both pursue interests and delegate responsibilities that slow her or him down–basic household chores such as meals or laundry or physical needs such as help with personal care.”
Regardless if you are planning ahead or find yourself taking urgent action, here are three signs you might be ready and eight points to explore when considering assisted living options.
Signs You Might Be Ready
- #1 Household Tasks. It is harder to keep up the house–laundry, dishes, cleaning, bill paying–tasks are taking longer or are being skipped.
- #2 Personal Care. It is more challenging to practice self-care including hygiene, engaging activities and managing medications.
- #3 Forgetfulness. Tasks and obligations are forgotten. More reminders and notes to yourself are needed to keep pace.
Points to Explore About Assisted Living
- #1 Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Did you ever really enjoy bed-making, weekly housekeeping and laundry?
- #2 Enjoy More. When you delegate the small stuff, you focus on the activities that are joyful.
- #3 Activity Choice. What are the options of various enrichment programs such as walks, gardening, playing games, attending lectures–more choice means maintaining or expanding personal interests.
- #4 Friends and Community. Will you be around like minded individuals? This allows for autonomy, creativity, participation and control.
- #5 Campus Model. A campus model (versus an urban apartment or single class of care setting) allows for more enrichment programming and expanded facilities such as a gym, hair salons, lecture and performance facilities, libraries and worship services.
- #6 Long Standing Staff. When core staff members have been in place for five, ten or twenty years, it provides stability and familiarity to residents and family members. The campus starts to feel like extended family and individuals can relax and enjoy themselves.
- #7 Customized Plan. Is there a dedicated nurse care manager that develops and regularly updates a personalized care plan? These plans should be bespoke–fitting the physical, mental and psychosocial needs of each person.
- #8 Inclusion of Family. Is it easy–maybe easier than before–for family members to be the best daughters and sons they can be (versus being besieged with caretaking duties) and also have transparency as to the health and happiness of Mom or Dad?
Finally, consider a campus that provides continuing care. This allows for continuity and a feeling of home when additional levels of care are required. Often, this can be accomplished without even moving Mom or Dad’s apartment. This makes for a more relaxed, stress-free conversation with the resident and her family.
