Autumn Crossing

Do you ever wonder how people pick where they are going to retire?

The dreams of Arizona, Florida, the mountains, the farm...All those exciting and wistful places. And yet, in the Autumn of a person's life, a crossroads per se, health issues may creep or derail the thought of independent living. 

Choosing a place to live can be driven by a number of personal factors. Do my children want me closer? Am I having trouble getting around? Are my friends and peers living or have they moved away? Does basic daily living functions take up most of my time? Would I still like to do fun things without the burden of household responsibilities like cooking, cleaning and maintenence? It the climate too cold and risk falling on ice? Is the city too busy and the risk of an accident or personal harm a concern?

The days of a final illness putting yourself , "in the nursing home to die", are long past. There are a large variety of traditional and non-traditional retirement facilities available. It is not a hunt one wants to undertake when in crisis, which is still pretty common. Many facilities prefer an individual meet specific health, wellness and maximum age requirements before acceptance. This is why planning ahead is so important. As basic daily health and welfare declines, it is time to look at the alternatives.

Where to Start?

Discharge Planning

From experience, a hospital's discharge planning department is one of the most important departments for patient care. It is the point of service from which a patient is placed (more often than not) in a hospital contracted bed at a local rehabilitation center or skilled nursing facility. A family can often be spared the hunt to find appropriate transitional care thanks to this arrangement.  But then what? Home? A family member's home? A residental facility? But what kind and where?

An option to "try out" a facility may come with this situation. Many retirement facilities  provide short term or "respite care." This allows an individual to take residence temporarily at a facility to recouperate from surgery or illness. They may require a level of care and observation that is not available elsewhere. In addition, families who take on the responsiblity of care for an individual might like to travel or need a break from the day to day duties-thus, respite care was created. Both family and the individual benefit from this temporary arrangement.

 Personal Planning

Families and Individuals might recognize a need or soon-to-be issue that will require long term assistance. This is a time to review options and availability at local care facilities. An individual can maintain or thrive longer in an enviornment they deem to be acceptable.