Senior Housing - journeying through the maze of available options:

In early 2004, in an effort to resolve the confusion within the senior housing industry, the American Seniors Housing Association and the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industries jointly agreed upon standard definitions for a number of property descriptions. The groups said the new classifications would end conflicts within the industry and simplify data-tracking on senior housing. They could also give consumers a better shot at sorting through the growing number of projects.

The new definitions, which have been endorsed by the Assisted Living Federation of America, the American Health Care Association, the American Association of Homes and Services of the Aging and the National Center for Assisted Living, include:

1) Active Adult Communities: For-sale single-family homes, townhouses, cluster homes, mobile homes and condominiums with no specialized services, restricted to adults 55 and older. Residents generally lead an independent lifestyle; projects aren't equipped to provide increased care as the individual ages; amenities may include such items as clubhouse, golf course and recreational spaces. Outdoor maintenance is normally included in the monthly homeowner's association or condominium fee.

2) Senior Apartments: Multifamily residential rental properties restricted to adults at least 55 years of age. These properties don't have central kitchen facilities and generally don't provide meals to residents, but may offer community rooms, social activities and other amenities.

3) Independent Living Communities: Age-restricted multifamily rental properties with central dining facilities that provide residents, as part of their monthly fee, access to meals and other services such as housekeeping, linen service, transportation and social and recreational activities. Such properties do not provide, in a majority of the units, assistance with activities of daily living such as supervision of medication, bathing, dressing, toileting, etc. There are no licensed skilled nursing beds in the property. The term "congregate care," which is also used to describe these kinds of properties, was dropped by these groups.

4) Assisted-Living Residences: State-regulated rental properties that provide the same services as independent living communities but also provide, in a majority of the units, supportive care from trained employees to residents who are unable to live independently and require assistance with activities of daily living including management of medications, bathing, dressing, toileting and eating. These properties may have some nursing beds, but the majority of units are licensed for assisted living. Many of these properties include wings or floors dedicated to residents with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. A property that specializes in the care of residents with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia that isn't a licensed nursing facility should be considered an assisted-living property.

5) Nursing Homes: Licensed daily rate or rental properties that are technically referred to as skilled nursing facilities or nursing facilities where the majority of individuals require 24-hour nursing or medical care. In most cases, these properties are licensed for Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement. These properties may include a minority of assisted-living units, such as for Alzheimer's patients.

6) CCRCs (Continuing Care Retirement Communities): Age-restricted properties that include a combination of independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing services (or independent living and skilled nursing) available to residents all on one campus. Resident payment plans vary and include entrance fee, condo and rental programs. The majority of the units aren't licensed skilled nursing facilities.

It's not just older Americans who need information about senior-housing options. Their adult children -- baby boomers -- also should be in the market to learn more, experts say. It may be an uncomfortable topic. However, the change can be abrupt if you don't prepare for it.

In addition to a number of books and help you might get from elder-law attorneys or social workers specializing in geriatric care, there are plenty of resources available online to aid your search; but no one definite place with all the answers and information.

View the AARP website , for housing choices and a host of housing resources and related links.

The Administration on Aging, provides an elder-care locator which allows people to search for services in their community by asking salient questions to help focus on the issues.

ElderWeb.com provides state-by-state links to support services and long-term-care information.

Some additional online resources:

• The American Seniors Housing Association provides leadership for the seniors housing industry on legislative and regulatory matters, advances research, education, and the exchange of strategic business information, and promotes the merits of seniors housing.
• The Retirement Living Information Center Inc., was established to assist seniors in living out their retirement years. Part of that process involves finding housing that matches the lifestyle or needs of seniors. The site also offers access to an array of resource materials, including books and online publications, tax information, a guide to state aging agencies, retirement news, shopping for special assistive products and services, and links to online stores.
• The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is committed to advancing the vision of healthy, affordable, ethical aging services for America. The association represents 5,600 not-for-profit nursing homes, continuing-care retirement communities, assisted living and senior housing facilities, and home and community-based service organizations.
• The Continuing Care Accreditation Commission, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1985, is the nation's only accrediting body for aging services, including continuing-care retirement communities. In 2003, CCAC merged with the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
• The Guide to Retirement Living is a database of all senior housing, assisted living, nursing homes, home health-care services, and professional resources in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Ultimately, you are going to want to rely on word of mouth from friends, relatives, doctors and senior centers in your area in making senior-housing choices.

Start listening to where others are going, where they are talking about. Eventually, you will have to visit the top three or four places you're interested in. You can tell a lot just by walking in -- odors, cleanliness, the things we know to look for. But pay attention to the staff morale -- these are the people who are going to be caregivers.

Michael Spottiswoode
~Desk: 505-990-0545; Fax: 888-500-9590; Cell: 505-307-0497~