We have noticed the growing concern among older adults and their families about finding safe, comfortable, and secure living environments. We are committed to educating the public on their senior living options. Many clients have questions like:
How do you know when its time to move?
What are my options if my current home is no longer suitable for me?
What different types of care are available as I age?
How much will care cost?
Common Disillusions
- I’m ok and won’t need help
- I’m going to live in my home forever
- I’ll be in the same health condition until the end
- My kids will take care of me
- My spouse will take care of me
- I don’t have enough money to move
- I’ll be ok at home and don’t need help
How do you know when it's time to move?
Is your home too large, now that the kids are gone?
Is your home and/or yard too much work to maintain?
Does your home have too many steps?
Are you tired of cooking and cleaning?
Are you living alone and concerned about security?
Downsizing to smaller House |Townhouse | Condo
Downsizing to a smaller home can offer numerous benefit for older adults, making it a popular option for those seeking a more manageable life style. Here are some of those benefits:
1. Reduced Maintenance and Upkeep
- Simplicity: Smaller home typically requires less time, effort an money to maintain. This reduction in chores and upkeep can decrease the physical strain.
- Manageability: With less space to care for, everyday tasks like cleaning and maintenance become much more manageable.
2. Lower Costs
- Utility savings: Smaller homes often have lower utility bills due to less space to power.
- Reduced Taxes and Insurance: Downsizing typically means lower property taxes, and insurance costs.
- Less Expensive: Downsizing means less expensive homes which can free up equity from your larger home to be used for retirement savings or other needs.
3. Increased Safety
- Fewer Hazards: Smaller homes are easier to navigate reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
- Stairs: Many people downsize to reduce or completely eliminate the number of stairs in their home.
4. Better for Aging in Place
- Adaptability: Smaller homes can be more easily adapted to meet the needs of aging adults, including modifications for mobility and accessibility.
- Convenience: A smaller space will be easier to navigate especially if its single level which is a significant advantage as mobility decreases with age.
5. Lifestyle Simplification
- Decluttering: Moving to a smaller space encourages decluttering which can simply lifestyle and reduce stress.
- Move closer to family: Downsizing allows the opportunity to move closer to your family. This may allow you to watch your grandkids and spend more time with loved ones.
Aging in Place Options
Family taking care of family
When taking care of family, you may want to think about making home safety modifications.
- Accessibility: Ensure that the home is accessible to someone with limited mobility. This may include installing ramps, grab bars in the bathroom and stair lifts.
- Fall Prevention: Remove tripping hazards, improve lighting, and secure rugs to help prevent falls.
- Emergency Systems: Consider installing emergency response systems of devices that can be used to alert family members or emergency services.
- Medication Management: Keep an d organized system to ensure medications are taken on schedule and properly stored.
- Chronic Disease Management: Learn about any chronic condition of the person you are caring for.
- Support system: Build a support network of relatives, neighbors, and friends who can offer assistance and companionship.
- Telemedicine: Utilize telemedicine options to consult with doctors from home, reducing the need for travel.
Home Care
This is a private hire, bringing care into the home to support daily activities. This typically includes:
- Companion Services
- Personal Care:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Eating
- Continence
- Transferring
- Toileting
- Limited HealthCare | Check vitals and temperature
- Meal preparation | Help with eating and clean up
- Light housekeeping | Such as vacuuming, dusting & sweeping
- Walking and moving | Use of wheel chairs, walkers & lifts
- Transportation & Escort Services | Shopping, errands, picking up prescriptions & doctor visits
Home Health Care
Similar to home care but involves skilled medical services provided by a registered nurse
When you need injections or wound care. Typically includes Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy.
Medical Reimbursement Requirements
- Must be homebound
- Requires physicians prescription
- Typically covers up to 100 days per year (per specified health event)
- Long term care can cover but check with your provider
- Care provided by licensed agency
Adult Day Services
These are programs designed to support older adults who need assistance during the day while their family members or caregivers are at work.
Types of Adult Day Services
- Social Adult Day Services: Focus on providing social activities, meals, recreation and some health related services.
- Adult Day Health Care: Provide more intensive health, therapeutic and social services for individuals with medical conditions and those who require more comprehensive care and monitoring.
Services Offered:
- Social and Recreational Activities: Engaging activities such as games, music, arts, and crafts to keep participants active and engaged.
- Meals and Nutrition: Offering meals that cater to dietary needs of participants.
- Health Services: Includes medication management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and monitoring of health conditions.
- Personal Care: Assistance with personal care tasks like bathing, dressing, grooming.
- Transportation: Some programs provide transportation to and from the center.
Retirement Communities
Joining a retirement community can offer numerous benefits, especially those seeking vibrant, supportive, and carefree lifestyle. Here are some reasons why many people join a retirement communities:
Community and Social Interaction:
Retirement communities provide a built-in social network of peers. Isolation is one of the biggest factors to mental decay. Our brains need mental stimulation and interacting with a community provides the interaction we need on a daily basis.
Maintenance-Free Living:
Tired of cooking, cleaning, and maintenance? One of the main reasons older adults love retirement communities is the freedom from cooking, cleaning, and maintenance. These communities take care of home maintenance like landscaping, repairs, housekeeping allowing residents to focus on enjoying their retirement without the burdens of home upkeep.
Safety and Security
Retirement communities are often equipped with security measure like secured entry, security personnel, and emergency response systems.
Access to Health and Wellness Facilities
Many retirement communities offer on site health care services and wellness programs. These might include fitness centers, group exercise classes, swimming pools and partnerships with local health care providers.
Activities
From planned social events and educational classes to hobby and craft clubs, retirement communities offer a variety of activities designed to keep residents engaged and active. This structured environment helps residents pursue new interests and hobbies or continue nurturing existing ones.
Family Peace of Mind
Knowing that loved ones are in a safe, supportive environment, where they can enjoy a quality life and receive care if needed, gives family members significant peace of mind.
What is typically included?
- 3 Meals/day prepared and served
- 24 hr security
- Maintenance and repairs to your unit
- Selected Utilities
- Activities: Programs, entertainment, activities
- Fitness Center
Month to Month Retirement Communities
A month-to-month retirement community offers a flexible living arrangement where residents are not bound by long-term contracts or commitments. Instead, they pay on a monthly basis for their accommodations and services. This type of arrangement can be particularly appealing for several reasons:
These facilities have:
- No Large Entry Fee
- Monthly Cost
- Flexibility: Residents are not locked into long term contracts.
All provide 3 meals a day, housekeeping, maintenance, security, activities, and scheduled transportation
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC)
CCRCs provide a comprehensive, all-encompassing range of care options—from independent living to assisted living to skilled nursing care—all within one residential complex. This model allows residents to move between levels of care as their health requirements evolve, without the need to change their overall living environment significantly.
These facilities have:
- Large Entrance Fee and Monthly Cost
- Life Care Agreement- Lifetime use of residence even if need higher level of care.
- Financial Review Required
- Health benchmark assessments
Costs depends of type of unit, size, floor size, etc.
Senior Equity Condos | Deeded Properties
Senior Equity Condos | Deeded Properties refers to a specific type of housing designed for older adults who prefer to own their living spaces, retaining equity in real estate within a community tailored to their needs and lifestyle.
Key Aspects to Understand:
Ownership and Equity:
Unlike typical senior living options that operate on a rental or lease basis, owning a condo means you can build equity and gain appreciation.
Age Restrictions:
Most senior condos have age restrictions, typically requiring at least one resident to be over a certain age like 55 years old.
Designed for Seniors:
These properties are typically designed with needs of seniors in mind. This can include no step entries, single floor living, and other age friendly features. These properties may also have amenities like a fitness center, pool, and social activities designed to encourage a community atmosphere.
Senior Equity Condos on Oahu:
– One Kalakaua
– Olaloa
Oahu Retirement Community Options
Month to Month Rentals
- The Ivy in Hawaii Kai
- The Plaza | Punchbowl, Mililani, Pearl City, Waikiki, Kaneohe, Moanalua
- Pohainani
- Kalakaua gardens
- Ilima at Lehano
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
- Kahala Nui
- 15 Craig side
- Arcadia
Adult Residential Care Homes (ARCH)
An Adult Residential Care Home is a type of residential care home designed to provide care services in a more home-like environment.
What you should know about Adult Residential Care Homes
Environment:
ARCHs are often single family or multi-family homes designed to fell more like a private home which can make residents feel more comfortable. These homes typically have fewer residents ranging from 2 to 10 or more, but generally fewer than 20.
Staffing:
Adult Residential Care Homes have caregivers on site 24/7 to assist residents. Typically, the staff to resident ratio is better than large institutions, allowing for more personalized care.
Regulation:
ARCHs are regulated at the state level, and requirements can vary from state to state. These care homes are regulated by the department of health and must have proper licensing, inspections, and compliance with specific care and safety standards.
Costs:
Costs in ARCHs can vary depending on the level of care needed, the location of the home, and the amenities offered. However, they can be less expensive than larger assisted living communities or nursing homes due to their smaller scale and fewer overhead costs.
Choosing the Right Care Home:
There are hundreds of Adult Residential Care Homes on the island but how do you know which one is best for you? We work with a company that helps place seniors. They have registered nurses and will conduct a health and medical assessment, then provide options, takes clients on tours and helps them move in.
The best part is that this service is free to the client.
Care home
A care home, often also referred to as a nursing home, is a facility that provides a range of personal and medical care services to individuals who are unable to live independently due to physical, emotional, or mental health conditions. These facilities are designed to offer long-term care, providing residents with 24-hour supervision, nursing care, assistance with everyday activities, and rehabilitation services.
Choosing the Right Care Home:
There are hundreds of Adult Residential Care Homes on the island but how do you know which one is best for you? We work with a company that helps place seniors. They have registered nurses and will conduct a health and medical assessment, then provide options, takes clients on tours and helps them move in.
The best part is that this service is free to the client.
Levels of Care
Independent Living:
Independent living facilities are designed for seniors who are able to live on their own without daily assistance but wish to benefit from a community environment that offers convenience and social activities.
Assisted Living:
Assisted living provides residential living with extra support for daily tasks. It’s a good middle ground for those who need assistance with daily activities but do not require the intensive medical and nursing care provided in a nursing home.
Skilled Nursing
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), often referred to as nursing homes, provide round-the-clock care and medical attention by licensed health professionals. Medical care provided includes wound care, intravenous (IV) therapy, injections, physical therapy, and monitoring of vital signs under the supervision of registered nurses.
Memory Care
Specialized care designed specifically for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other types of memory problems. Memory care units often have secured areas to prevent wandering, a common issue for people with memory impairments.
How much does care cost?
Home Care can cost
$24 per hour – Single
$30 per hour -Couple
Home Health Care can cost
$35-$75+ per hour
24 hour care can run $15,000 – $20,000 per month