Assisted Living / Independent Living/ Memory Care (Hollywood, Plantation: apartment, rent, insurance)

[BillieUSA]

All of the previous threads on this topic seem to be old. If anyone out there can offer up to date information I sure would appreciate it.



1. I need opinions about aging in place vs. going to a facility. I do not have anyone that I would burden without paying for help in the home, etc. I would be paying someone to come in to help. Family lives out of state.



2. I am not keen on buying a unit, such as in Delray at Abbey Delray, but what do you all think. So far I would rather rent an apartment.


3. Specific places to avoid or recommend? I have just begun to look around. For now I want independent living with a spouse who has dementia.



I just read a heartbreaking post by a resident of Carlisle Manalapan. I visited Discovery Village in PBG and Boynton, not bad, I think, but do you know?


THANKS FOR ANY HELP.

[wizrap]

I know you posted on WPB, but here is a link to Aston Gardens, which has a facility in Parkland.

https://www.astongardens.com/

One of my clients faced the same situation as you’re facing about a year ago. She is a retired RN and after researching lots of places, primarily in the north Broward, south Palm Beach areas, chose the Parkland Aston Gardens facility.

She is renting a 2-2 for now. I’ve visited her twice and it is beautiful. It is a gorgeous property and gives off the vibes of a resort. There are lots of clubs and activities and transportation is provided to medical appointments and shopping. She is very pleased with her decision.

She sold her home, which was mortgage-free, and used part of the proceeds to pay for the rental. The meal plan provides 2 meals a day and between those, she rarely needs groceries as she always had leftovers. She and her husband owned a large 4-2 pool home, and she told me when she added up what she was paying in property taxes, utilities, upkeep, property insurance, and food, she’s coming out a little bit ahead., maybe breaking even. The main on-going bills are her medical insurance, prescriptions and cell phone.

I am no nurse, but as a heads up, her spouse, who also had Alzheimer’s, didn’t handle the change well. I have been told this is fairly typical. His cognitive abilities, such as ability to follow simple instructions, and physical abilities, such as walking or even eating, really declined to such an extent that he died in one year later.

I don’t know if this would have happened if they had remained in their home or not, obviously. But she would have had to scramble for medical care for him regardless. Being at Aston Gardens, there was a team of available personnel ready to step in and provide round-the-clock care (this did cost extra FYI but she said the care he received was superb).

She is going to stay in the 2-2 for now, but eventually go to a 1-1. These decisions are so difficult and I wish you luck in your research. My client, at one point considered moving to a 55+ community and buy a villa. But I give her credit for being pragmatic—she finally felt that even though a villa would be smaller and more manageable than their home, they most likely would be faced with the decision of moving again, due to her husband (and also her own health issues too). She didn’t like the idea of possibly moving once more. So she made the decision to just go to Aston Gardens, with the plan that this is the last move she’ll make.

These clients are in their 70’s, and only one married adult child lives near them. They had briefly thought of having that child sell their townhouse and move in with them and help with care. But the care-taking would fall mainly on their DIL who already has her hands full taking care of the children. So they nixed that idea.

Good luck. There’s no easy answers.

[BillieUSA]

Thank you so much for your response.



I came to the same conclusions about staying in my home, but only recently did I start to think what the act of moving would do to my husband. Little disruptions now have drastic repercussions.



I appreciate your input very very much.

[wizrap]

Originally Posted by BillieUSA

Thank you so much for your response.



I came to the same conclusions about staying in my home, but only recently did I start to think what the act of moving would do to my husband. Little disruptions now have drastic repercussions.



I appreciate your input very very much.

You’re welcome. It is not an easy decision to make a move with a spouse who you know isn’t well, and won’t get any better. My client took about 3 or so years to make her decision as to what would be best, and I think it’s something you really have to be comfortable with.

I also have 2 clients that have experience with this organization:

https://www.fivestarseniorliving.com/

I’ve been dealing with their POA’s and one put my client in the facility in Plantation and the other chose the one in Hollywood. They are all over the state. For the one in Plantation, when my client was really declining, the POA pulled her and put her in a small group home so she could get more individualized care. She had fallen and felt this was the best way to go. The POA currently works in the medical field and was able to find a place that was good and reasonable with her connections.

The POA for the client in Hollywood pulled my client during COVID, as she didn’t like the policies that restricted contact. She wanted to see for herself how my client was doing but couldn’t visit, despite being vaccinated and masked. So my client lived with her for nearly 2 years. Now that restrictions have loosened, she’s back at the facility. When the POA had pulled my client from the nursing home, they had told her there were no guarantees that a bed would be available if she ever looked to be re-admitted, but fortunately there was.

I also have another client whose POA has settled on The Meridian of Boca Raton:

https://www.meridiansenior.com/senio...medium=organic

My client isn’t there yet, but I suspect she’ll be there in about a year or so.

Again, good luck.

[Chardo1]

We're about to move my MIL into Mariposa in Lake Worth. New facility, luxurious but not over the top, people seem friendly. Priced similar to most facilities in the area. Has independent, assisted, and memory on site. Doctors visit on site, physical and occupational therapy on site, lots of lifestyle amenities. I would move there myself. They get quite a few couples moving in after selling their house to get away from homeowner hassles.

[DallasHouzz]

My mom and step-dad were in The Carlisle for many years for 2010-2019. I am curious where you read the post you mentioned as I did a search and could not find one.

I will recommend one place in Lantana - The Finnish-American Village. My mom was evacuated here one year during a bad hurricane and they were amazing. Been there a long time. Not fancy but the management and staff are wonderful. Just west of 95 and slightly north of Lantana Rd.

Our Village

(561) 588-4333

[BillieUSA]

FYI I tried to find the quote again to document it, but I could not.



I do know that the author was very articulate and the management answered him. The gist of it was that the draw was the ocean, and everything else was not merely problematic, but very bad. One thing he said is that making money was the main goal, which is probably true, and he was told flat out that such and such a thing was too expensive.



For me I have decided to try to stay at home as long as possible. These facilities must have a hard time with staffing and training. I will try to find my own staff and training.



Thanks to everyone who added information.