 | Roselyn Schmidt, R.N.,
partnering with husband Don and son Kent, designed, own, manage and operate Chaucer Estates, Retirement and Assisted Living. Since 1967, the Schmidt's have owned five nursing homes, managing and operating the facilities as a family. In 1986, they built Andover Health Care, and in 1995 became part owners of Park West in West Wichita, until the 1998 flood, leading them to create Chaucer Estates. Most recently, the Schmidt family has opened their newest retirement and assisted living facility in Overland Park, KS, "Rose Estates". Since 1955, Rose has enjoyed a vast nursing career, raised six children, and presently serves as Admissions, and oversees marketing at Chaucer Estates. You can reach Rose at (316) 630-8111, or visit Chaucer Estates at 10550 E. 21st North, in East Wichita. |
Senior Living
2005-06-01 09:50:00
What is meant by ‘aging in place’?
: I hear many terms used to explain assisted living homes and the services available in each. I recently heard the term ‘aging in place’. What does this mean?
ANSWER: The term that you're referring to, ‘aging in place’, means a consumer can select an assisted living facility and reasonably expect to live there until the end of his or her life, regardless of changes in health or physical and cognitive functioning. In reference to assisted living facilities, only a very small percentage offers the option of ‘aging in place’. The problem lies with accurately defining Assisted Living. Originally developed as a Scandinavian model of residential care, Assisted Living emphasizes the importance of the social aspects of care and departing from what is generally termed a ‘medical’ model or organization of the care setting. Assisted Living is still new enough that the business offering it and the states that license it, do not agree on a precise definition. Although undefined, the ‘average’ Assisted Living Facility (ALF), have some generalized terms and services.• The average ALF bed size in the U.S. is 53 beds. Most offer a range of options in terms of private or shared accommodations. Only 27% of ALF's offer private rooms. A small number offer private apartments and private bathrooms. • Fewer than half ALF's (44%), are willing to admit residents who need assistance with transfers such as assistance in getting in or out of bed, a chair or a wheelchair. • 72% of ALF's will not retain a resident who needs nursing care for more than 14 days.• Only 40% have a full-time registered nurse on staff. A couple of terms that you may hear which aid in separating the average ALF from others are ‘High Privacy’ and ‘High Service’. A high privacy facility must designate at least 80% of their units as private. Nationwide, only 31% of the ALF's meet this standard. A high service facility is defined as having a full-time registered nurse on staff and providing nursing care, as needed, with facility staff, as well as providing help with at least two ADL's (Activities of Daily Living), 24-hour staff, housekeeping, and at least two meals per day.If the ALF does not have the options/services listed above, they are called either ‘Low Privacy’ or ‘Low or Minimal Service’ facilities. 59% of ALF's in the U.S. fall in this category. Only 11% of all ALF's are both ‘High Privacy’ and ‘High Service’ facilities. Only these that offer assisted living, limited skilled care, dementia care, independent living, and employ professional nursing around the clock in order to serve a broad spectrum of consumers are able to offer ‘aging in place’.
