Different Types of Senior Living
When you’re starting your search for a long-term care community, it’s best to take all care into consideration. Whether the community is for yourself or your loved one, take stock of what type of physical and cognitive care may be necessary. This will help you decide where to begin your search!
If you need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing your teeth, etc., make sure the community you choose offers all-inclusive care options! This means that as you or your loved one progresses in care needs, the community will be able to accommodate.
At Vicinia Gardens, we offer four types of senior living communities, including Independent Retirement Living, Assisted Living, Intermediate Care (Early to Mid-Stage Dementia), and Memory Care (Mid to Late-Stage Dementia). When deciding on a community, make sure it offers the level of care you or your loved one will require.
How Much Do Senior Living Communities Cost? Do I Qualify for Benefits?
The next step to take when choosing a long-term care community is to seek out options for benefits. There are many options when it comes to care costs. Where you choose to live will heavily depend on what kind of costs you can expect and types of benefits you qualify for.
Vicinia Gardens is a private pay community, which means we don’t accept Medicare or Medicaid benefits; however, we do accept Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI) plans and Veterans Benefits! Long Term Care insurance is a policy designed to cover costs associated with getting older. On the licensed side of the Vicinia Gardens campus, these policies often cover monthly rates. The cost of long-term care policies depends on how old the purchaser is when they buy the policy and the maximum amount the policy can pay per day. If you’re interested in learning more about your current LTCI policy, contact your insurance provider or contact us at Vicinia Gardens to find out if your policy will apply!
The most common Veterans Benefit utilized in long-term care in Michigan is the Aid & Attendance Benefit. This is a tax-free pension benefit to help offset the cost of care. This benefit helps veterans and surviving spouses of veterans who were active during eligible wartime periods. This benefit goes directly towards the cost of care in our community! Please reach out to our leasing team if you have questions or need help finding resources for these benefits. Click here to find out our monthly care costs!
How Large Is the Vicinia Gardens Senior Living Community?
Vicinia Gardens offers multiple different levels of care. Our Independent Living Community has 133 suites, Assisted Living has 20, Intermediate Care has 26, and Memory Care has 20. Compared to local facilities, this is considered a medium-sized community. Vicinia Gardens is a great option for families looking for personalized care plans and easy communication with our directors. Our buildings are large enough to provide amenity spaces like a salon, activities room, courtyard, and communal dining, but small enough to make it easy for residents to access those spaces.
What Is Staffing Like?
It’s important to keep staffing in mind when looking for a long-term care community to make sure you or your loved one has adequate care. We offer 24/7 staffing with resident aides and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Staffing ratios are one staff member to every 10 residents, and we work very hard to keep our call times under 2-3 minutes. During the day we, of course, have our care staff, but we also have activity aides, culinary staff, and our management team available! Residents receive a wellness check every 2 hours and receive snacks and water throughout the day.
What Happens if I or My Loved One Progresses in Care Needs?
As we age, cognitive and physical needs may increase. It’s important when choosing a community to take this progression into account. Once the resident ages out of a community, planning for next steps can be difficult if more levels of care aren’t available. At Vicinia Gardens, we offer four levels of care, and we determine the initial placement by performing an assessment. We come out to visit the prospective resident and perform a comprehensive assessment, which in most cases takes around an hour. Once the resident is part of our community, we conduct annual assessments. These assessments are to ensure the resident is still properly placed and receiving the right level of care. Changes in care can happen before the annual checks, so family members are contacted to discuss care options.
Can I Take a Tour of Senior Living Communities?
Yes! Most long-term care communities welcome families to tour their facilities and we highly encourage it. This is a great time to ask questions, check amenity options, and interact with staff and residents! Wondering if you should bring your loved one with you? It is up to you! If your loved one is excited about the next steps, it’s great to bring them along. If your loved one is more apprehensive, you may want to tour initially on your own or with family to make sure the community is a good fit.
The tour process is very important when choosing a senior living community. To schedule a tour at Vicinia Gardens, please call 810-354-7080 or schedule online!
Life Enrichment at Vicinia Gardens
Activities are a very important part of senior care. Calendars and newsletters should be available to families and residents throughout the month. At Vicinia Gardens, we offer routine activities such as daily exercise, bingo, and arts and crafts, as well as outings, entertainment, and socials. Our calendar is packed with activities suited for all residents and their capabilities. Our Independent Living has an on-site pub, putting green, fitness center, movie theater, and more amenities! We have a great relationship with local animal shelters for residents to visit and we host monthly birthday parties and holiday experiences. Check out our most recent calendars and upcoming events on our website!
Choosing a Senior Living Community
When it comes to choosing a senior living community, it is important that it not only fits your long-term budget, needs, and care level but also feels the most like home! Vicinia Gardens is celebrating 10 years of excellence in 2023, and we plan on continuing our streak. We pride ourselves on our reputation in the community, and we look forward to getting to know you and your loved ones! Help us continue to make Vicinia Gardens a great place to be. Contact us today to learn more about our senior living community!
