Adult Family Homes

Comforting news for long term care budget

There is good news for adult family homes and other long term care programs in Washington . . . and it could have been much worse for assisted living centers.

The Washington State budget passed this week with essentially good news for state-funded long term care. Some programs surprisingly received a little more money, one program was spared, and another program received a minimal rate cut. All in all, long term care providers and families who have loved ones in one of the long term care settings were relieved.

The Family Caregiver Support program received a slight increase in funding. With the increase, the program can continue to provide training, counseling and respite care for unpaid caregivers.

And, due to the passing of Initiative 1163, more funding was approved for the program to train long term care workers so they can receive the required additional training.

Assisted living centers received a 2 percent rate cut. The general opinion is that a 2 percent cut is tolerable and can be absorbed without having to implement the drastic changes they were anticipating.

Funding for nursing homes, adult family homes and in-home care did not change.

A Caring Heart and the other Professional Senior Advisors who help with long term care issues, including assisted living, are also relieved over the budget news. Even though A Caring Heart services are free to our clients, we know that having a variety of options is paramount and, with the budget passing as it did, well, those options remained essentially untouched – and even ensures our elderly loved ones who require long term care will receive even better services in the long run.

Assisted Living Center term clarified

Assisted living center law change There is recent news from the state about senior living facilities. Effective June 7, 2012, House Bill 2056 redefines the legal definition of an assisted living center. After June 7, 2012, adult family homes will no longer be included in the term “assisted living center” and the term “assisted living center” will be used for boarding homes.

According to the government affairs director at the Washington Health Care Association, boarding homes are facilities with seven or more congregate senior apartments where residents receive care and services. Those services include housekeeping, meals, snacks, laundry, organized activities, health support and intermittent nursing.

Adult family homes are residences licensed to serve up to seven residents, usually in a residential setting, so there is no licensure requirement for such things as two-hour burn doors or indoor sprinkler systems. Services vary within the adult family home.

The House Bill is meant to clarify terms for the public at large. So, of the 542 licensed facilities in Washington previously called boarding homes, that term will soon become obsolete.

Even though the terminology has been clarified, finding the right match in services, staffing, and fellow residents as well as finding an available assisted living in Vancouver WA and Clark County or another senior housing option can be quite the undertaking. And that’s where we come in.

Assisted living in Vancouver WA positive response

Great news for those who may be seeking assisted living in Vancouver WA. We have had a positive response to our new listings of adult family homes on our site. For those persons who are thinking about relocating to an adult family home or other setting in assisted living in Vancouver WA, being able to actually see photographs and read about the residences and facilities makes a difference.

Of course, assisted living in Vancouver WA is so vast, with many different levels of care, we can’t list them all – at least not right now, but be assured, we are quite familiar with the senior housing options and services in Vancouver and Clark County.

Once we help you determine what your needs are, knowing the vacancies in the area, what services are provided, and other important details makes it easy for us to point you in the right direction. It is our privilege to set up any tours you might want and be there with you each step of the way to be sure all questions are asked and answered so you can make an informed decision, ultimately being satisfied with your choice.

Having worked in the senior field and experienced the difficult decisions first hand, we know important it is to choose the right assisted living in Vancouver WA or some other senior housing option. With you and your loved one in mind, we will continue to add to our website on your behalf.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH

Written by Regina Brett

90 years old Regina, is of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio . This is a reprint of her article on 45 lessons of life.

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good..
When in doubt, just take the next small step.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
Pay off your credit cards every month.
You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what
their journey is all about.
If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
Take a deep breath It calms the mind.
Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
Over prepare, then go with the flow.
Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
The most important sex organ is the brain.
No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
Frame every so-called disaster with these words : ‘In five years, will this matter?’
Always choose life..
Forgive everyone everything.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
Believe in miracles.
God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
Your children get only one childhood.
All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
The best is yet to come…
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
Yield.
Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Adult family homes vs. boarding homes

We are often asked the differences between Adult Family Homes and Boarding homes. One difference lies in the number of people that care services can be provided for. An adult family home is licensed to provide care services for up to six adults in a regular house located in a residential neighborhood. A boarding home is licensed to provide housing and care services to seven or more people in a home or facility located in a residential neighborhood.

Adult family homes may be run by a family, single person or business partners. The adult family home may also hire other employees. Some adult family homes allow pets and in some homes, multiple languages are spoken.

All adult family homes and boarding homes both provide housing and meals (room and board) and assume general responsibility for the safety and care of the resident. What additional services are offered will be different from home to home but may include:

Varying levels of assistance with personal care.

Intermittent nursing care (a licensed nurse available on a part-time basis).

Assistance with or administering of medications.

Some homes also provide specialized care to people living with developmental disabilities, dementia, or mental illness.

We have provided several resources throughout our website to help you decide the best environment for your situation.

Adult Family Homes in Vancouver WA make longevity more joyous

Often our clients contact us because their loved one is having some challenges living alone. When we introduce them to adult family homes in Vancouver WA and the surrounding towns of Clark County, WA, we help families make choices that bring more joy to their loved ones as well as meet their basic needs.

It is our experience that, though our body may put some restrictions on us, getting older does not mean we can’t still have some fun! The right adult family homes in Vancouver WA provide the kind of support that helps each person live their life to full potential.

Adult family homes should offer more than just meeting the basic needs of food and medical care. A good adult family home will provide a sense of family and community to each person that shares the living environment. This kind of community enhances our lives and helps keep the joy in our life!

Protecting those in assisted living environments – Initiative 1163 will NOT help!

Our reason for this business is to bring support to those that need it most. Anyone requiring assistance in their living environment is vulnerable. We investigate the assisted living and adult family home facilities in the Vancouver WA area so that we can help people make educated decisions and insure the best care for themselves and/or their loved ones.

I-1163 is presented as something that will protect the elderly and others that require assistance in their living situation. We have reviewed this initiative and feel it is important to educate our readers on what we have found.

We feel the Columbian has made a good case to vote NO on I-1163 and invite you to read the article they posted about this critical issue here: http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/oct/14/no-on-i-1163/.

We are also happy to share the information sent to us via email by PATTI GRAY, RN, CHCE:

INITIATIVE 1163 – THE SON OF 1029

SEIU 775 does not give up easily. Even after WSRCC’s political team successfully worked with state legislators to stop the pointless expense and onerous provisions of I-1029, putting the mandatory caregiver training measure on-hold until 2014, SEIU wrote a slew of different initiatives. They finally settled on I-1163, which may as well be called “Son of 1029″.

In pushing I-1163, they’re just recycling the same misleading messages

- and outright lies – used to pass Initiative 1029.

There are very few differences between I-1029 and I-1163. The real political motives behind these initiative efforts are complicated and not easy to explain in just a few words to someone who hasn’t studied SEIU’s agenda (for starters, they want to unionize all caregivers in the State of Washington). When you are asked about I-1163, or have to the chance to talk with friends, neighbors and your clients’ families, here are some of the points you can make:

1. I-1163 is a power grab no different than I-1029. If it were to pass, it would require redundant, expensive and pointless training – paid by taxpayers for SEIU members, but by long-term-care providers who have no input into the training curriculum that directly impacts their workers.

2. The cost of increased training hours for your caregivers will not improve the quality of care you provide your residents – but it will come out of your pocket.

3. Once again, I-1163 is an unfunded mandate expected to cost taxpayers more than $50 million in the next two years, but offers voters no way to pay for it.

4. I-1163 requires mandatory background checks for caregivers. However, mandatory background checks are already required. This initiative duplicates and increases the expense to taxpayers.

5. WSRCC demands training conducted by qualified educators and medical professionals, preferably in accredited institutions such as community colleges, trade schools, medical and long-term-care facilities. SEIU’s training program is conducted by inexperienced, unqualified union activists in union conference rooms.

SEIU is paying signature gatherers, who are attempting to get initiative signatures by claiming that I-1163 will improve the quality of care for adult family home residents. This is a lie, pure and simple.

The object of I-1163, just as it was with I-1029, is simply to swell the membership rolls (and therefore the coffers) of SEIU 775, at the expense of taxpayers who have no idea what they’re really doing when they sign an initiative signature sheet.

WSRCC’s political and public affairs team is going to continue to fight against SEIU’s initiatives, and educate the voting public to NOT sign I-1163. We want taxpayer dollars spent on direct services to vulnerable adults and to long term care. We do not want precious tax resources wasted on union-building activities masquerading as something it is not.

Join with us to educate your friends, families and colleagues: do NOT sign I-1163.

Adult Family Home – Determine the right choice.

Talk About Life Changes:

Everyone involved needs to overcome their reluctance to talk about changing needs.
Set aside time to talk when everyone is rested and prepared.
Do some homework and have some knowledge about adult family homes in your area.
Involve the person that needs the additional care and support.
Allow each person to talk without interruptions or criticism.
Emotions will be a big part of this discussion. Be patient with each other.
Don’t try to tackle too many issues in one meeting – take your time.
It is normal to find change difficult, stay positive.
Don’t make rash decisions. Allow everyone time to think about everything discussed. If helping a loved one, remember you are making recommendations not decisions.

Review Needs

Make a list of medical, physical and social needs.

Does someone need to do laundry and cooking?
Is help needed to get to the bathroom or to dress?
Are regular medication reminders necessary?
What type of help is needed so that the person can stay socially connected?

Get the information you need

Using a free to the client service like A Caring Heart offers can reduce the stress and help you make informed decisions.

Schedule tours of the Adult Family Homes in your area.

A Caring Heart will work with you based on your needs and schedule.

How we help you choose the right Adult Family Home in Vancouver WA

Our service is free to our clients because we know how challenging finding the right adult family home for a loved one can be. We have taken the time to get to know the areas adult family home offerings and can provide our clients with a guided tour so that they can investigate for themselves. We will help you ask the right questions to be sure that you find a living situation that is right for your loved one.

Welcome to our new website!

We are working hard to let families in Vancouver WA and Clark County know about our “free to the client” services for finding the right Adult Family Home, Assisted Living and Memory Care resources.

We are hoping that our new senior housing resources blog will allow us to share news and articles of interest on a regular basis so that those that are seeking resources during sometimes difficult times will find us more easily.

We invite those that have used our services to submit their stories using our Submit a Testimonial form.