The New York Times article called How Not to Grow Old in America talks about what you should know about the assisted living industry. If you are exploring a facility for a loved one or yourself, please read the article. Below is my experience and take. Appreciate feedback.
To the Editor:
Re: How Not to Grow Old in America, August 29, 2019
My family has had nightmare experiences with assisted living facilities. I suggest that “buyer beware” is the best way to evaluate them. Even if your loved one lives in a quality facility, family still needs to be involved and vigilant.
The way things are moving now, the only good assisted living options will be within expensive life care communities, exacerbating the growing division between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ in our society.
New ‘money follows the person’ care models, such as the one in my state of Connecticut, would pay family members to manage care for loved ones with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other illnesses. Still to be determined: How will these families be trained and supported long-term?
It is we – the rapidly aging Baby Boomers – who must support new policies that improve access to and create greater oversight of assisted living facilities; policies that balance the burden for families. But will succeeding generations pay the price?
Ira Yellen
Founder
AgingInPlaceToolkit.com