Assisted living in Alabama is not a nursing home. Assisted living in Alabama is a licensed health and safety solution for a senior adult who is largely still independent. Rather than 24-hour comprehensive supervision, assisted living provides health and safety monitoring for people who may need help with a few daily tasks, but otherwise function freely on their own. Every community is different, and research is your best friend when it comes to choosing the right assisted living home for a loved one.
Assisted living has many benefits. Imagine meals prepared for you, weekly housekeeping and a calendar of activities to choose from. At Fair Haven in Birmingham, assisted living also means your own private apartment, complete with kitchenette, bath, washer/dryer, and more, with the added benefit of helping hands nearby when needed. A 25-minute assessment conversation can usually help determine if someone qualifies for assisted living and will thrive in assisted living at Fair Haven. Here are the five factors that we’re looking for:
MOBILITY
A resident must be able to travel on their own for at least 100 feet, with or without an assistive device (like a cane, walker or wheelchair). Meals are served in the shared dining rooms or in the Fair Haven restaurant. Residents need only be able to get themselves to their desired dining arrangement for each meal. We do all the cooking (and cleanup)!
SOCIAL SUITABILITY
Assisted living life is a social life. A mental test is given to help discover social appropriateness for assisted living. It’s not a pass/fail test – there are a wide range of mental abilities and capabilities in assisted living. The test results are used in conjunction with the other 4 factors help make a fit determination.
RECOGNITION
Another benefit of assisted living is that medications are overseen and administered by qualified staff. No more confusion over whether Mom took that pill this morning or not. What a relief! A resident must be able to recognize their name on a medication card.
CONTINENCE
A resident must be continent. Everyone has accidents from time to time, but incontinence is a sign that greater supervision and care is required for personal dignity. Proper self-sanitary care is essential to maintaining the pleasant shared environment of assisted living.
AFFORDABILITY
Assisted living is private pay in Alabama. To best determine one’s ability to afford the care, add up your current monthly rent or mortgage, food cost, all the utility bills (electric, water, sewer, cable, pest control, etc.), neighborhood fees, monthly home maintenance, property taxes, insurance, etc., many people find that assisted living apartment life is quite a bargain! Add in the cost of private sitters, and it’s an even greater bargain.
As a side note, there are a few people who may find financial assistance toward the cost of assisted living in Alabama, but they are highly situational. Wartime veterans and spouses may be able to find some financial assistance with assisted living costs (more about VA assistance here). Also, some long-term care policies also have coverage for assisted living, so contact your policy administrator. The public governmental assistance program of Medicaid does not pay for an assisted living apartment in Alabama.
If you’re ready to have a conversation about your own needs or the needs of a loved one, give us a call, or open the 24/7 live chat, or use our contact form. We would be delighted to give you a tour of our assisted living and host you for a delicious lunch. You’ll find gorgeous apartments, including one of the few two bedroom-two bath assisted living apartments in Alabama.