Lutheran SeniorLife Frequently Asked Questions

• What does it mean to me and my loved one to choose to live in a Continuing Care Retirement Community?
• How can I help my family member transition to senior living?
• What are the various levels of care and services at Lutheran SeniorLife and how can I help my family member decide which is best for them?
• What happens if my family member chooses Lutheran SeniorLife and runs out of money?
• Will my family members need to change doctors if they move into a Lutheran SeniorLife community?
• Is there a medical examination required before moving into senior living?
• What is the first step in finding the right place for an older adult who needs services but also needs some form of financial assistance?

What does it mean to me and my loved one to choose to live in a Continuing Care Retirement Community?

A Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) generally offers older adults a safer and more secure environment. The staff and support at a CCRC allows older adults to live a vibrant lifestyle with meaningful relationships without the worries of home.

Essentially, a CCRC (such as Passavant Retirement Community in Zelienople or St. John in Mars) offers living accommodations at all levels of the continuum on one campus; independent living, assisted living, personal care or skilled care. Though those living independently have need for little support, professional staff will be aware of them and, if and when those seniors display signs that they need more support, those options will be presented.

If older adults are already in assisted living or personal care, a more formal evaluation will take place to ensure that seniors are always living at a level consistent with their needs.

Ultimately, the biggest benefit of a CCRC is that if the older adult needs more support, it can be offered without leaving that particular campus. It allows the privilege of aging in place.

How can I help my family member transition to senior living?

It depends on the level of need. If the older adult is moving to independent living because of retirement, downsizing or a life choice not based on needs for assistance, sometimes the best help is a professional who helps direct that downsizing process. It can be simple counsel on what to save, what to discard, what may be helpful, etc.

As the need for assistance increases, that family member can help by gathering as much information on facilities, programs and services and helping to present a list of options for the older adult to evaluate.

The most important thing is to listen to the family member considering senior living. Hear and observe what kind of help they need, gently remind them of what they have expressed and guide them through the decision making process.

Lutheran SeniorLife encourages everyone involved to gather as much information as possible, evaluate as many options as possible and, most importantly, to visit facilities and talk with the staff.

What are the various levels of care and services at Lutheran SeniorLife and how can I help my family member decide which is best for them?

The basic levels and where they are available are outlined in the Lutheran SeniorLife levels of care brochure, which can be found online (where?) or may be requested by contacting us.

The basic progression is Independent Living, where the older adult can live independently; Personal Care, where there is a need for medical support, perhaps help with bathing and medications, etc. and perhaps a need for more security, etc.;  Assisted Living, which generally provides more staff support, more security and a more formal program; and finally, Skilled Care,  which would require a physician’s order and could involve a long-term placement or a short-term, episodic program, such as recovery from surgery. Skilled could involve intravenous medication, complex medical support, the care of a registered nurse and often involves rehabilitation and social services.

Staff at all levels would be involved in helping the older adult and families decide which level is most appropriate for each individual.

What happens if my family member chooses Lutheran SeniorLife and runs out of money?

Lutheran SeniorLife works with the older adult and family to evaluate, when appropriate, what resources would be required to provide the services anticipated. Staff can help to identify government and other funds, work with the family to see what personal resources should be on hand before initiating a program at certain levels and everything is done to try to ensure that the resident would not run out of resources.

If, however, that does occur, Lutheran SeniorLife, as a faith-based organization, does not dismiss residents because of an inability to pay, but adjustments in where the resident live on that particular campus is possible under some circumstances.

Will my family members need to change doctors if they move into a Lutheran SeniorLife community?

It depends on the circumstances of each individual. In our LIFE (Living Independence for the Elderly) centers in Butler, Beaver and Lawrence counties, for example, residents must be eligible for medical assistance and must be nursing home eligible, and Lutheran SeniorLife becomes responsible for all of their medical care if the client chooses this program. Those participants must change physicians, but there is no longer any charge to them for any of their medical services.

Independent Living residents obviously keep their own doctor and are responsible for their own decisions.

In between, in most cases, there does not typically need to be a change of primary care physicians, although for skilled services, for example, the physician would need credentials for our facilities. The physician may choose to apply for those privileges or not.

Generally, as the need for care and support increases, the need for physician input increases and Lutheran SeniorLife works with families to identify medical support that will meet the needs of the individual.

Is there a medical examination required before moving into senior living?

Again, it depends on the individual circumstances. It is not required for independent living. It is required for skilled care because a physician’s order is required. Generally, for everything other than independent living, a medical examination is recommended, but not always required.

What is the first step in finding the right place for an older adult who needs services but also needs some form of financial assistance?

The county Areas Agency on Aging is often a good place for families to start to investigate the need for financial assistance. Lutheran SeniorLife staff also would always be willing to assist the older adult and family members to identify possible avenues for financial assistance.