Tag Archives: Independent living

Youth aging out of foster care now have independent living option through D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s

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Aerial view of ILP home (Courtesy, DABSJ)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org


Mary Muliett, DABSJ President and CEO (Courtesy, DABSJ)

Leading provider of child welfare and human services in West Michigan, D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s (DABSJ), has launched a distinctive Independent Living Plus (ILP) program. ILP is a transformative initiative designed specifically for youth aging out of foster care.

This program, situated on the DABSJ campus, aims to provide a safety net and specialized assistance to address the youth’s unique challenges.

“Youth aging out of foster care without a guardian or adoptive parent are embarking on adulthood without the supportive network many of us are fortunate to have had,” said Mary Muliett, DABSJ President and CEO. “It’s a vulnerable position that requires specialized support, and that’s exactly what our Independent Living Plus program aims to provide.”

Research has consistently shown that youth aging out of foster care face heightened risks, including homelessness, human trafficking, and incarceration. This is an alarming phenomenon known as the foster-care-to-prison pipeline.

Breaking the cycle

ILP home, inside view (Courtesy, DABSJ)

With the ILP program, DABSJ seeks to break the cycles put forth by the system and provide a supportive bridge into adulthood.

“We want the youth to be independent but not alone,” said Muliett. “By living in a home right here on the DABSJ campus, youth can easily connect with the supports they need, whether it’s a coach helping them pursue college and careers, peers they can connect and build community with, or therapy and psychiatric care.

“They get to develop their goals and dreams – so it’s care provided for them, not for them.”

Rewriting futures

ILP residents will have access to on-site coaching, therapy, medical/psychiatric support, and the full amenities on the DABSJ campus.

ILP home kitchen (Courtesy, DABSJ)

The program is open to youth ages 16-19. Residents must be referred to the program by a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services or agency foster care case worker.

To begin, the program will operate out of one home serving eight residents. It will then expand on campus.

“We have recognized the need for a specialized Independent Living Plus program for a considerable time,” Muliett said. “All too often, these youth risk falling through the cracks.

“Our program is a beacon of hope, providing a safety net and a circle of support to ensure they survive and thrive as they transition into adulthood. This is more than just a program; it’s a commitment to allowing youth to rewrite their futures.”

To learn more about DABSJ’s Independent Living Plus program and access referral information, click here.

About D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s

D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s is a nonprofit that provides a full continuum of care for children and families, including foster care, adoption, family preservation, behavioral health, child psychiatry, and residential programs. DABSJ impacts more than 14,000 lives annually with safety, advocacy, and support.

Learn more at dabsj.org.

(Courtesy, DABSJ)

Assisted living or senior home care?

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


As we age, it can become difficult to maintain the quality of life we are used to without some form of assistance. But when it comes to senior care, it’s not always clear what living arrangement is best for an aging adult. With large numbers of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age every day, the options for senior care are becoming more rich and diverse. For some, the comfortable familiarity of senior home care is the number one priority, while others prefer the wealth of assistance options and provided senior activities of assisted living. Before you make your decision for yourself or a loved one, make sure you’re aware of the benefits and drawbacks of each care option.

Senior Home Care

Aging in place is an attractive choice for many seniors, but some daily activities such as driving, shopping, bathing, and housekeeping can require assistance. In-home care is one way to ensure reliable help for any tasks that may cause difficulty. An in-home caregiver can support seniors in keeping up with proper hygiene, exercise, and nutrition, as well as maintaining a clean and pleasant home environment. A caregiver can also be an excellent companion to a senior who chooses to age in place, as opportunities to socialize may be limited by mobility and availability of transportation.


However, senior home care services are all different and may charge additional fees for certain tasks or aren’t able to offer them at all. Since caregivers usually charge per hour of service, the cost of caring for a senior who needs help with many daily activities may become a burden for them and their families. Additionally, in-home caregivers usually cannot provide medical care, though they can assist with making and keeping appointments, and with medication reminders and administration.

Assisted Living

In assisted living, communities are created with autonomy for aging adults in mind. With routine and medical care always available, seniors are empowered to maintain their familiar and ideal lifestyles. Not only is independent living easy, such as cooking favorite meals or working on hobbies, but assisted living also provides opportunities for being social with comfortable community spaces and a variety of senior activities. Seniors in assisted living communities typically keep their own schedules — and with so many things to do, that’s no small task!


Seniors and their families may dismiss assisted living out of hand as being out of their budget, but the option is more affordable than many believe, especially when compared to the long-term costs of in-home care. Care, living space, meal options, and activities are all included in the cost of an assisted living arrangement, whereas seniors aging at home need to pay for each of these individually. Making the decision to move from a familiar home full of memories can be painful, but the opportunity to continue living life with vigor in an assisted living community, surrounded by friends and loved ones, can definitely make it worth the choice.


Ultimately, the decision between in-home care and assisted living can only be made by a senior and their loved ones. Depending on the level of care required, the ability of family members to provide assistance, and medical needs, one option may work better than the other. Understanding the benefits of each can help you make the best decision to help you or your aging loved one live life to the fullest. 


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Why Nursing Homes Get a Bad Rap (And Why Assisted Living is the Answer)

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

Nursing home. The words themselves can create visions in your mind of a bleak environment used as a holding cell for seniors. Maybe you have even visited a loved one at a nursing home and walked away worrying if they were living an unhappy life. With the way they’re portrayed in the media, it’s no wonder that nursing homes receive such a bad reputation.

Nursing homes may need an image update, but they provide a lot of important care. There are a lot of inaccurate rumors about how they function as a home for seniors. However, aspects of a nursing home and the services they provide might still be wrong for your loved one. And with a growing number of seniors in need of new housing options, finding the right place may be a difficult task for caregivers.

To help you fact check some hearsay, here is a list of some of the most common rumors associated with nursing homes, and why an assisted living community may provide a better alternative.

Nursing homes are too clinical

The image of a traditional nursing home is a dull place, with fluorescent lighting and no atmosphere. Perhaps you may think of a clinical facility, not much better than a hospital room. Putting a loved one in a home like that may seem cruel, or like a punishment for them.

The truth is that nursing homes do have a more clinical feel than some other senior housing options. Because of the level of skilled nursing care that nursing homes are able to provide for seniors, a slightly more medical space is often necessary to ensure safety for both residents and staff. Nursing homes are able to provide constant care and attention for our loved ones who need to be monitored and assisted for their own safety and well-being.

Nursing homes are for the end of someone’s life

Often we think of nursing homes as the final home for our loved ones. Therefore, because nursing homes are full of similar people there for the same reason, it can be easy to assume that nursing homes are full of sick and lifeless people, with no energy or community.

While this may be an image that comes to mind when considering a nursing home, the truth is that nursing homes provide for a wide variety of members. Some seniors, after a medical emergency or a stroke, need constant care that goes beyond what caregivers can provide. Nursing homes can also offer a part-time stay until your loved one has recovered enough to return home.

In addition, due to the rising number of seniors who need to find a community to live in, nursing homes have plenty of engagement and community opportunities. Movie showings, games, and other activities help ensure that even if your loved one needs a high level of care, and will likely be in a nursing home for the remainder of their life, they aren’t going to be sitting alone in a chair for that time.

Nursing homes don’t offer independence

While nursing homes do offer activities and opportunities for community building, they do still monitor and supervise events fairly strictly. Again, due to the level of specialized care that nursing homes offer to aging seniors who need it, the freedom that is available for residents may be somewhat limited. Meals may be regulated to make sure that a senior is getting all the proper nutrients, and regulated medicine and bedtimes may also help seniors who have trouble remembering things.

However, this is a far cry from the common fear of an environment where seniors have no control over their movements or what they pursue. While seniors in a nursing home are observed to make sure they are safe, and have schedules for meals and medicines, what they choose to do in their free time is up to them.

The benefits of assisted living

For all that a nursing home can offer in terms of care, there are some limitations in what else they can provide. If your loved one needs a less specialized level of care, or they want to have more freedoms, then an assisted living community may be the right choice for you.

Assisted living communities like Vista Springs can offer many things for seniors:

  • A continuum of care for people who need some medical assistance, but don’t yet need the high level of care provided in a nursing home.
  • Focus on providing a multitude of ways for seniors to express independence and feel at home
  • A change that is much less drastic for seniors who are transitioning into a senior living community.
  • Communities like Vista Springs can offer independent living within the assisted living home.

While nursing homes get a bad rap, they do offer a highly specialized care that is necessary for many seniors. Once you get past the reputation, nursing homes may provide care that your loved one truly needs.


However, if you’re looking for senior living that provides a full of life experience as well as care services, an assisted living community may be exactly what you and your aging loved one are looking for.

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Staying Connected in a Retirement Community

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

By Vista Springs Assisted Living

 

The importance of staying active as we grow older is well documented. Not only can frequent exercise help keep muscles strong, it can also improve balance, overall health, and mood. But did you know that it’s just as important to stay socially active as you age? Staying socially engaged has been shown to improve mental wellness in all seniors and slow cognitive degeneration in seniors with dementia; and living in a retirement community is one of the best ways for seniors to stay connected.

How Seniors Can Become Socially Isolated

Even for people who hate their jobs, the workplace offers a space for daily social interaction. After retirement, daily socialization becomes much harder simply because it’s no longer required. While some retirees feel motivated to go out and be social, others find themselves limiting social interaction to visits from friends and family, which can eventually lead to isolation.

 

A major factor in a senior’s risk of social isolation is their living situation. According to a report by the Administration on Aging, 20% of men and 35% of women aged 65+ live alone, with percentages increasing with age. While seniors living at home will often have informal or formal caretakers, such as adult children or a home care service, they may still feel lonely or disconnected. Distance from social activities and gathering spaces may be a limiting factor, as can health conditions, access to transportation, and more.

Social Living in a Retirement Community

Unlike living at home, an assisted living or retirement community gives seniors daily opportunities to meet and talk with many different people, form new connections and friendships, and partake in social activities. Here are some unique ways retirement communities help residents stay social:

  • Communal dining options: Sharing a meal together is a great way to connect, and assisted living facilities usually offer their residents the option to dine communally at least once a day. Good food and great company is a time-honored recipe for cherished relationships.
  • Engaging activities: From discussion groups to board games to trail outings, retirement community residents can come together over shared – or newfound – interests. Forming friendships with like-minded peers can help the mind stay sharp.
  • Next-door neighbors: While the phrase “next-door neighbors” is usually used to describe the people living in the house adjacent to one’s own, it can be used quite literally in the case of an assisted living community. Most retirement communities offer private or semi-private apartments to their residents, who can form close relationships with those around them without needing to go very far at all.

For those seniors for whom closeness to family is essential, choosing assisted living near home can mean the best of both worlds. Serving as caretakers for elderly parents can put stress on adult children and their relationships, so moving to a community that facilitates independent living can actually help seniors grow closer to their families.

 

Staying social can be difficult for aging adults, and social isolation is a very real and dangerous hazard. Retirement communities can help seniors stay engaged in a way that works for them, keeping them healthy for years to come.

 

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Aging In Place: How older adults can maintain independence

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Your Community in Action!

By ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA)

 

According to US Census data, persons 65 years or older represented 14.5% of the U.S. population in 2014; they are expected to represent 21.7% by 2040. Nearly all seniors want to stay in their homes or “age in place.” Unfortunately, there are many factors that can make living independently a challenge.

When our loved ones can no longer get dressed, fix a meal or remember to take their medications, small home modifications, transportation or in-home services may be all that is needed to help them stay in their homes. Here are some resources that can help older adults live where they choose for as long as possible.

ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) offers services tailored just for seniors. These include nutritious meals and door-to-door transportation. To learn more about CAA’s senior services, visit their website here.

The Michigan Aging & Adult Services Agency offers an online database of aging resources. To find supports and services near you click here and search by location or service type.

MI Choice Waiver Program is an option for older adults and disabled persons who need additional help caring for themselves. The program provides in-home services covered by Medicaid to income-eligible adults. Click here to learn more about services and eligibility.

If you or a family member are starting to have trouble doing everyday tasks, check out the National Institute on Aging’s tip sheet, There’s No Place Like Home — For Growing Old. This sheet can help you develop a plan today to maintain independence in the future.

Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org