Posts Tagged ‘assisted living wait lists’

Most people don’t want to go into assisted living (or put a loved one into assisted living) until they absolutely cannot put it off any longer. That usually means they wait until the last possible moment to contact their preferred assisted living community, but there’s a problem with doing it that way…

Assisted Living Communities Have Limited Room for Their Residents

As the Baby Boomers continue to age and live longer than previous generations, assisted living communities have begun filling up. This means you can’t wait until the last possible moment before looking into locations, prices, and offerings and still expect to get your preferred location. If things are starting to go downhill, you need to start reaching out to assisted living communities in your area sooner rather than later.

Deposits

Depending on the community, you might have to pay a deposit in order to be put on the wait list. The amount of the deposit can range anywhere from $250 to $2,000, depending on the community. The good news is that most of those deposits are available for a refund if something comes up and you decide you need to be taken off the wait list – whether because things turned out not to be as bad as you thought, or because you found a different community that was better suited to your needs.

You Can Reserve Your Favorite Apartment

Each assisted living community usually has a variety of apartment options, ranging from single bedroom to full suites. Most communities will allow you to place a deposit on an apartment that meets your specific needs. This is definitely something to consider, especially if the community offers a full refund on deposits. By taking advantage of this, you can make sure you’re the first to know when the apartment you want is available. If you’re not ready when the apartment becomes available, the assisted living community will usually let you maintain your place on the wait list for the next available apartment that meets your specifications.

Every Policy Is Different

Just like every assisted living community has its own policies and procedures regarding how it cares for its residents, the policies regarding their wait lists are also going to vary between communities, so be sure you do all your research before putting down a deposit.

In addition to different deposit and refund policies, some assisted living communities offer the “first right of refusal” to families on their wait lists. When a family places a deposit on a particular apartment in an assisted living community, most communities will hold that apartment for the family for a specified amount of time (usually about 2-4 weeks).

If, on the other hand, another family becomes interested in that same apartment, the assisted living community will usually give the family who paid the deposit on it at least 24 hours to decide if they want to take the apartment. If they decide to let it go to the second family, they can have their first right of refusal moved to another apartment or maintain their position on the wait list for the next apartment that becomes available.

Here at Stillwater Senior Living, we treat our residents like family. Our apartments include studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom suites. They are designed with security features, maximum accessibility, and include walk-out patois with a full range of amenities for the entire family.

CONTACT US today for more information and a tour of our beautiful state-of-the-art community.