What Kind of Seniors Enter Assisted Living?

Seniors who require non-medical personal care enter assisted living.  However, not all assisted living facilities accept residents with particular conditions.  For example, many assisted living facilities do not accept residents with advanced dementia or physical limitations.  Advanced dementia poses care challenges to inexperienced staff, and physical limitations may require multiple staff to care for the resident at any one time.   Consequently, if your loved one has either advanced dementia or physical limitations fewer Santa Rosa assisted living facilities will be available to you.  Wild Rose Care Home recommends contacting a free placement agency to get assistance with finding an assisted living facility capable of caring for your loved one.

What Services & Amenities Does A Santa Rosa Assisted Living Facility Provide?

Santa Rosa assisted living facilities provide non-medical care and assistance with the activities of daily living.  Common services include laundry service, lodging, food service, cleaning, transportation, activities, medication management, personal care, incontinence care, and hospice care.  Assistance with the activities of daily living include assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, and grooming.  Some Santa Rosa assisted living facilities may provide beautician, massage, or manicure services.  Assisted living facilities usually provide hygiene items such as soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, denture cleaner, and incontinence care products.  Unfortunately, many Santa Rosa assisted living facilities charge the resident for each incontinence care product used, and some residents may use 3-4 incontinence care products a day.  Consequently, the cost of incontinence care can be high if this itemized charge is assessed.  Wild Rose Care Home encourages families to select care homes that assess a flat rate to avoid these unpredictable variable costs.

What Does Assisted Living Cost in Santa Rosa, CA?

Assisted living facilities in Santa Rosa, CA are generally more expensive than comparable facilities in California.  According to a national survey, the median monthly cost of assisted living in California is $3,500, and the median annual cost of assisted living in California is $42,000.  However, the same survey found that the median monthly cost of assisted living in Santa Rosa, CA is $4,125, and the median annual cost of assisted living in Santa Rosa is $49,500.  Therefore, assisted living in Santa Rosa is more expensive than in other areas of California, and help finding an assisted living facility that matches your budget will save you money in the end.

While the median rate of $4,125 gives you some idea of what the typical assisted living facility will cost in Santa Rosa, the true cost of assisted living depends upon the particular facility.  Small 6-bed care homes that consist of a converted single family residence, have no awake night staff, and in which the owner is the primary caregiver and lives at the facility may cost as little as $3,000 per month.  In contrast, large assisted living facilities that accept challenging residents with dementia may charge over $8,000 per month for a private room.  Most of these larger assisted living facilities in Santa Rosa, CA have a tiered rate system in which the daily rate depends upon what services the resident requires that day.  For instance, if the resident required incontinence care on a particular day, the facility will assess the incontinence charge against the resident for that day.  This makes it difficult to anticipate what assisted living costs on any particular month, and every bill will be a surprise.   Wild Rose Care Home recommends that family members searching for assisted living in Santa Rosa, CA find a care home that charges a flat monthly rate that is not dependent upon the frequency or type of services used.  If you need help finding a Santa Rosa assisted living facility or want to know which assisted living facility will match your budget call Accessible Elder Care at (707) 237-2750 for free placement assistance.

How Do I Find A Good Santa Rosa Assisted Living Facility?

A lot of people are overwhelmed by the process of finding an assisted living facility for a loved one.  There are many care homes, retirement communities, independent living facilities, and assisted living facilities out there to choose from.  To help you in this process we recommend addressing the following points and taking into account the following tips:

1)  Make sure that assisted living is the right type of facility for your loved one.  Assisted living facilities offer non-medical care.  If your loved one needs medical care then you need to look for a nursing home (skilled nursing facility).  Your doctor can advise you whether your loved one requires a nursing home.

2)  Does your loved one have Alzheimer's disease, advanced dementia, or physical challenges? If your loved one has dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or a physical challenges it may be best to seek an assisted living facility operated by someone with a medical background.  Remember the saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."  In elder care an ounce of prevention is often irreplaceable.  An administrator with medical experience may catch conditions or symptoms in the early stages and draw a doctor's attention to them before they worsen.  In an assisted living facility with a laymen administrator, this same knowledge-base will not be available.  In short, if your loved one has physical challenges, Alzheimer's disease, or advanced dementia it may be best to select an assisted living facility operated by someone with a medical background.

3)  Ask questions.  A knowledgeable administrator will be able to answer questions regarding resident care, facility policies, staffing, and monthly rates.  

4)  Call a FREE placement agency.  There are many referral sources out there.  We recommend contacting a free placement agency.  A free placement agency will personally evaluate your loved one to better understand their personal care needs and will recommend several assisted living facilities that they have personally evaluated.  Best of all, placement agencies are usually free to the resident and family members because they are paid by the assisted living facility that the family selects.  Consequently, this service is free to you.  For family members searching for assisted living in Santa Rosa, we recommend contacting Julie Kirschbaum at Accessible Elder Care.  She has experience as an assisted living administrator, personally evaluates her clients, and personally assess every Santa Rosa assisted living facility that she refers to.  Beware placement agencies that do a "phone consultation."  A phone consultation doesn't give the placement advisor the complete picture of your loved ones needs.  Also look out for internet placement agencies that just have you fill out a form.  In addition to not understanding your loved ones personal care needs, these internet placement agencies usually do not personally assess assisted living facilities.  In short, call Julie at Accessible Elder Care at (707) 237-2750 and get some free help.  

Julie Kirschbaum

Placement Advisor

(707) 237-2750

aecseniorplacement@gmail.com

Good Luck.