Writing: Assisted Living
Chapter 7
Senior Housing
Learning Objectives
Understand how senior housing developed and where it fits in the continuum of care
Identify and define the components of senior housing
Identify and describe regulations affecting senior housing providers
Learning Objectives (continued)
4. Understand the financial, ethical, and managerial issues facing senior housing providers
5. Identify and discuss trends in senior housing and its management
Why the need for Senior Housing?
Growth in number of elderly
Need for living accommodations that meet their desire for more independent living
Demand for more choice
What is Senior Housing?
Age-restricted housing
Reverse mortgage
Age-restricted retirement communities
Senior apartments
Cohousing
Independent living
Congregate housing
Continuing care retirement communities
Life care communities
Philosophy of Care
Giving seniors the services and assistance they need
Optimizing their independence
Letting seniors live as independently as possible
Letting them live to the maximum extent of their abilities
Services Provided: Age-Restricted Communities
Provide the least amount of services
May provide meals, transportation, social activities, etc.
Accessible
May act as a broker to provide services through contractors
Services Provided: Independent Living
For relatively healthy, active seniors
Variety of apartments, homes
Balances desire for independence and need for support
Services Provided: Congregate Housing
Services similar to retirement apartment complexes
Shared meals
Housekeeping
Full-time staff on duty 24 hours
Additional service options
Services Provided: CCRCs
Broad range of service and housing packages available
Access to other types of services as needed (e.g., skilled care)
Option to move between available housing as one’s needs change
Ownership of Senior Housing
Age-restricted communities:
For profit and publicly owned
Independent living:
Mostly for profit
CCRCs:
Mix of for-profit and nonprofit
Consumers Served
Age-restricted retirement communities:
Younger (55+), early retirees
Senior apartments:
May be looking for subsidized housing
Independent living:
Largely women with high net worth
CCRCs:
Often enter while healthy and active
Accreditation
Generally not accredited
Except CCRCs – accredited by CCAC
Financing
Mix of private, government-subsidized, and nonprofit
Wide range of fees
CCRCs are most expensive, usually private pay
Variety of contract options
Staffing
Mostly hotel-type staffing
Few health services – except SNF and assisted living components of CCRCs
Management Qualifications
Few licensing requirements
Except SNF and assisted living components of CCRCs
Significant Trends
Desire for more options
Quality of life
High occupancy rates
Summary
Senior housing services provide a variety of options for elderly consumers and have become an integral component of the continuum of long-term care.