What is Assisted Living at The Admiral?

Now that you know more about Independent Living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community, such as The Admiral at the Lake, let’s explore Assisted Living.

It is possible that you could live in Independent Living without having to move on to Assisted Living. However, research has shown that most Americans age 65 and older will require long-term care services (such as Assisted Living) at some point. Thankfully, most Assisted Living communities are just as vibrant as Independent Living—you just receive a little more help.

What is Assisted Living?

Assisted Living is a continuum of long-term care that still promotes Independent Living but provides help to the resident with daily tasks. Some of these tasks could include meal preparation and personal care such as showering, housekeeping, dressing and medication monitoring. The help needed is determined by the Assisted Living staff, the resident, the resident’s family and the resident’s physician.

Assisted Living communities can look very similar to Independent Living communities. In a continuing care community, it’s simply moving from one part of the community to another. The resident still has access to all of the amenities they enjoyed while in Independent Living and still close to the friends, other family members living in the community and staff they have grown close to.

Moving From Independent Living to Assisted Living

All humans, no matter their age, desire to remain as independent as possible and make their own choices. Some older adults fear when they move to a CCRC that they will be moved to Assisted Living too soon.

So what determines the transition from Independent Living to Assisted Living? In short, your health and safety are what make the final decision. At The Admiral at the Lake, if a health concern is raised by either the resident, resident’s family or staff, a meeting will be called for everyone to discuss whether a transition is needed. If it is determined that a transition is needed, a transition team that includes a social worker to help support and plan with the resident and family.

Learn more about our social worker, Colleen Kearney. >>>

Questions to Ask an Assisted Living Community

As always, it’s good to do your research as you are investigating different Assisted Living communities. Take a tour of all communities that interest you and ask a lot of questions. Here are a few questions to get you started when touring an Assisted Living community:

1. How many apartment homes are available and are they private?
2. Where are the Assisted Living apartments located?
3. Are there different types/size apartments to choose from?
4. Are there special care services (such as memory care) available?
5. Is there a written care plan and what role do I play in my care plan?

Exceptional Assisted Living in Chicago

Enjoy a warm, home-like environment with care partners who work with you and your family toward the goal of keeping you healthy and safe. The Harbors at The Admiral at the Lake provides spacious and private residences, some with spectacular views of Lake Michigan. Continue to experience the vibrant Chicago lifestyle inside The Admiral at the Lake, including entertainment, lectures, continuing education, fitness classes, a heated swimming pool and more.

We share the same goal as you, to keep you living independently for as long as possible. You can help achieve this goal by making your wellness a priority. If you have been putting off eating healthier, getting more sleep or exercising more, we can help! Download our free guide, “10 Strategies to Make Wellness a Priority,” to learn how prioritizing your wellness can help stave off changes in your health, ways to exercise without pain and how easy it is to start an exercise routine.