Stories – Elbert

There are many financial options available to help pay for senior care expenses. Veterans Programs like Aide and Attendance and Long Term Care insurance may be considered. Seeing an Elder Care attorney in the early stages is important in making sure the legal and financial pre-planning documents are in place. Many of our communities offer seminars on these options throughout the year to help you understand what choices are available for your loved one. For a better understanding of costs, review our Cost Comparison Worksheet and finance options here.

Many seniors may choose to move into a senior living community once a major change has happened in their life. This could result from a fall; memory issues; or losing a spouse. It may no longer be safe for them to be alone. If you see your loved one struggling with depression, loneliness, or forgetfulness, begin to look at what options are available. Ask for referrals from friends, neighbors, community centers, places of worship, health care settings and the Area Agency on Aging. Plan a visit to a Sagora Senior Living community to have lunch and attend some of the educational events so your loved one can see firsthand what living and enjoying life at one of our communities.

Our executive directors, sales, lifestyles and nursing teams are here to help guide you through the process of what it is like living in a community and what questions you should be asking when you visit communities. There are many third party companies such as A Place For Mom who offer unbiased recommendations as well. And for guardian support, a private care manager can help with all of the necessary details.

After your initial tours at a few communities, go back to visit them during lunch or dinner and attend some events. Do they offer a support group? This would put you in touch with other adult children or caregivers whose loved ones currently live at the community. Ask how their loved one has adjusted to the transition. Talk to as many associates and residents as you can. The housekeeping, maintenance, lifestyles and culinary teams all play integral parts to your loved ones’ daily life in a community.

If you have several communities near you and need to select a few to start with, discuss your options with a referral service or ask a community sales associate for referrals, and have them help you narrow down your options. Your family doctor will also be able to give advice on retirement options and disease care. Many senior living communities offer monthly support groups for caregivers of seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Diabetes, as well as Caregiver Stress Support Groups. Attend some sessions to meet others who are managing the same stress you are feeling and share your stories for support.

Meet monthly with the care team at the senior living community to discuss how your loved one is doing and evaluate what changes need to be made to his/her care, if any. Pay attention to the mood and overall happiness of your loved one. Every associate at our community will get to know your loved one and will be able to understand their needs and desires. By treating every resident with respect and dignity, your loved one will begin to flourish and you will see firsthand how the care they are given has helped them.

Pay attention to mom or dad’s new schedule at their community. See what activities and wellness programs they are attending and talk to the care associates to find out how they are progressing. Visit as often as you can, and if you live out of town, call the directors often to see how you loved one is making friends and spending their time.

Safety is extremely important to every associate at our communities. Our environment is full of things in place just to ensure resident safety. We have special lighting, non-slip floors; zero thresholds, security devices and walkways that are monitored. We take great pride in offering the best programming and hiring the most dedicated associates to help ensure your loved one will be cared for with the most current models of safety and security that is available.

Sagora Senior Living communities are set up to provide daily social activities designed around the interests of your loved one. We get to know each and every resident who shares their life with us by finding out what they most value in life, and we do our best to bring those activities into our communities, whether that mean setting up a group for them to be a part of or even giving them the free time to be alone, we are here to help create a fun, caring environment for all of our residents.

Visit a senior living community today to better understand the lifestyle options available for your loved one. Talk to your family doctor and other friends with aging parents to see what they have been through and what decisions they have made. Have your mom visit your top 2 communities and go to lunch, play bingo with some residents, or better yet, have your loved one stay in a Guest Suite at the community for a night. She can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner, attend a day’s worth of wellness programs and social activities, and see firsthand what living around people her age with her same passions and similar life experiences is like!