Tag Archive for: independent senior living costs

Discovering Friendship Village [Episode 167]

Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Jill Enders are joined by Friendship Village President and CEO Terry Walsh and Friendship Village Chesterfield’s Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer Carmen Fronczak to discuss the trend of seniors in the St. Louis area moving into assisted living and memory care facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group discusses the grand openings of state-of-the-art assisted living and memory care campuses in Chesterfield and Sunset Hills, as well as how to pay for long-term care, in general.

They highlight how many of the design choices of the Chesterfield campus was based on input from staff and residence of a previous Friendship Village location, as well as the preparedness of their staff in handling the magnitude of new residents at both locations.

The group talks about the community atmosphere that helps seniors in combating loneliness, depression, and other mental health-related issues that may come with going through the aging process alone.

Exploring City and Rural Assisted Living Communities [Episode 120]

Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and Villages of St. Peters Memory Care Administrator April Haskins highlight aspects of the independent, assisted, nursing, and long-term care experience. They dive into the decision-making process heading into deciding that living by one’s self, as well as the importance of touring facilities, in order to understand what is right for the potential resident and what they are looking for from the facility.

April details different types of fee structures that exist within these types of communities and talks about the impact of Medicaid on paying long-term care costs. Joe and April discuss the commonality of facilities and communities that are 100 percent Medicaid and emphasize that Medicaid and non-Medicaid users receive equal care.

Joe and April highlight how those within the communities can take priority when they require additional care, over those on waiting lists to enter the community. They talk about the differences between communities and facilities in rural areas, as opposed to those near larger cities.

Choosing Independent or Assisted Living Facilities [Episode 119]

Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur are rejoined by Villages of St. Peters Memory Care administrator April Haskins to break down some of the factors that go into the decision of leaving one’s home and entering an independent or assisted living facility.

April details all of the amenities that many facilities have, which allows seniors to maintain some levels of independence while receiving the care that they may need. They also bring up the costs involved in independent living.

April and Joe explain what a buy-in is, when it comes to senior care. They highlight the varied payment structures that exist among facilities, as well as the lifestyle options available to residents. Joe discusses the commonality in the St. Louis area regarding seniors going to a living facility  based on having friends that are involved in common interests or communities.

April explains what Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are and also talks about the conversations between senior parents and their children, regarding visits, amenities, and overall environment of a potential facility.

Joe also announces that April will be joining ElderTalk with Joe Cordell as an occasional co-host.