The Differences between Retirement Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care at Richfield
Senior living used to mean one thing: a nursing home. And while there are still high levels of care available, the industry has evolved from a purely clinical focus to one of engagement and wellbeing for the whole person – physical, social, spiritual and emotional. Because of this you’ll now find senior living is more like a continuum with different levels of care to fit your specific needs. But regardless of the level of care, it’s the active, convenient and carefree lifestyle that has seniors moving to these communities earlier than ever these days.
Levels of Care
In thinking of senior living as a continuum, retirement living can be seen as the entry point with higher levels of care to follow. Here’s what you can expect from three types of senior living on our campus:
Also known as independent living, retirement living is designed for active seniors who require little daily assistance and want to spend more time enjoying retirement without the hassles of chores and home upkeep. Services and amenities typically include:
- Choice of accommodations including two- or three-bedroom cottages at Lake Estates or apartment living at Knollwood and Ridgecrest
- Restaurant-style dining
- Housekeeping and laundry service
- Exercise programs
- Concierge services
- Transportation
- Variety of social opportunities, activities and clubs
Offers housing, onsite care and support with daily activities. With individualized services plans, residents can remain as independent as possible while enjoying an engaging, purposeful life. Services and amenities typically include:
- Comfortable, spacious accommodations with private or semi-private residences at The Oaks or large private rooms grouped in ‘households’ at the Joseph C. Thomas Center
- Licensed nurse on-duty or on-call 24-hours a day
- Resident assistants on-duty 24-hours a day to help with medication administration and assistance with personal care
- Three daily meals with restaurant-style dining
- Housekeeping and laundry service
- Exercise programs
- Transportation
- Access to medical services
- Variety of social opportunities and activities
Memory care is specifically designed to nurture and support those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with 24-hour supervised care. You’ll find all the benefits assisted living provides; plus services and amenities that may include:
- Comfortable accommodation as two ‘households’ in the Joseph C. Thomas Center dedicated to memory care and feature private rooms with private baths clustered around shared living spaces; in addition to memory care in the Richfield Recovery & Care Center for later stages of the disease
- Medical monitoring and assistance with activities of daily living
- Emergency call systems and a secure environment
- Structured activities, therapy and exercise programs that embrace renowned dementia care expert Teepa Snow’s Positive ApproachTM to Care
- Housekeeping and laundry service
- Enrichment opportunities that improve quality of life
- Dining experiences that promote independence
- Transportation
Extra Value at Richfield
In terms of cost, the higher the level of care the more you’ll pay. Generally, on a national basis you might expect to pay $1,400 to $4,000 per month for retirement living, around $4,000 for a private, one-bedroom in assisted living and between $2,000 and $7,000 per month for the specialized services in memory care.
However, Richfield Living offers this full continuum of care all on one campus meaning you have the option to pay less for retirement living now and then move to a higher level of care if needed later. This is similar to what’s known as a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) and it gives you the added convenience and peace of mind of being able to stay in the same place, with friends, familiar surroundings and continuity of care as your health needs evolve while also giving you financial flexibility.
What differs between Richfield Living and other CCRCs is that we follow a rental model so there is no large upfront (‘buy-in’) fee to move into any level of care and you’re not locked into a permanent contract. Instead, you pay for only what you need; again giving you more financial flexibility for your future. Plus, as a not-for-profit community, the investment you make to live here doesn’t go into shareholders’ pockets. Rather, our profits go toward improving the care, programs and services our residents receive and we are committed to being a good steward of your investment.
