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While searching for an Assisted Living Arizona for my parents, I came across a site http://www.coltenadultcare.com. Colten Adult Care is managed by a caring and loving couple Jana Colten and Peter. This facility offers Arizona Retirement Homes for people who need assistance in activities of daily living but wan to live as independently as possible. Colten Adult Care offers the best of both worlds for seniors creating a unique balance between independent living and nursing homes.

Arizona Senior Living – Arizona aims to foster as much autonomy as the senior resident is capable of. This facility provides 24 hrs supervision, experienced & caring staff, beautifully decorated homes, a wide array of health and wellness services. The homes are located in serene residential neighborhoods in North Scottsdale , in close proximity to shops, parks, and senior and community areas. Prominent hospitals like Mayo Hospital , Scottsdale Healthcare Shea & Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak are all within 10 minutes of all of the homes.

Colten Adult care also has a full time activities director who spends time in each home every day. Residents enjoy group activities like exercise, board games, and arts and crafts which keep the residents engaged constructively. Live musicians also play atleast once a week in all of the homes to entertain the residents.

All this and more, convinced me the Colten Adult Care is the best assisted living facility in AZ for my parents.

Before individual state governments passed much-needed legislation, many assisted living facilities were only private pay situations. Fortunately, for many older Americans facing housing dilemmas, Medicaid waiver programs have taken up much of the slack that Medicare did not. Providing funds for placement in assisted living facilities as well as a number of other helpful services, Medicaid helps lower-income, elderly individuals receive the care they need.

All states accept funds from Medicaid waiver programs for placement within a nursing home, which are normally more expensive than assisted living facilities. While many states do not recognize funds from Medicaid waiver programs for assisted living, those that do are located throughout the country and offer many options to aging Americans needing assistance with daily living activities. After searching high and low, finding a general overview of states that offer the Medicaid waiver program for assisted living was rather nonexistent, but my research is your gain.

Medicaid Waiver Programs State Line-Up

As of publication, there are no definitive lists that outline states with Medicaid waiver programs for assisted living facilities. At best, the government (via the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services) has created an online list of all Medicaid waiver programs (1), meaning visitors have to spend time finding the desired information. Although I’ve outlined the states that do accept Medicaid waiver programs, certain impediments may be in place to securing a Medicaid-covered bed in an assisted living facility. Be aware that some states may offer the program on a trial basis, follow limited participation quotas, or are just introducing the program to state residents. As always, verify eligibility requirements with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

i. Arkansas – Aged and disabled program participants are provided with adult residential care, assisted living, and medication assistance and consulting till death.

ii. California – Beginning in 2003, California began offering Medicaid waiver programs to aged individuals.

iii. Delaware – Program participants with Alzheimer’s, dementia, physical disabilities, or needing assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) are provided with funds for assisted living facilities.

iv. Florida – There are quite a few Medicaid waiver programs for the state of Florida, including a broad waiver for all individuals aged 65 or older; individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia; case management services; assisted living; incontinence supplies to frail, elderly, and disabled individuals aged 60 or older; and a home and community based waiver that offers mental health services to seniors in specific areas of the state.

v. Iowa – Many assisted living facilities across the state accept money from Medicaid waiver programs; however, the number of residents in a facility using these funds is limited.

vi. Indiana – Aged and disabled individuals are provided with case management, transportation, assisted living, medical equipment, congregate care, home delivered meals, nutritional supplements, and much more. The state also offers a targeted assisted living waiver program that focuses on therapeutic social and recreational programming.

vii. Maryland – Program participants are assessed and, if deemed eligible, are offered either services in the home or placement in an assisted living facility.

viii. Mississippi – Medicaid waiver programs for this state cover individuals requiring assisted living services due to disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia as well as individuals aged 65 and older needing adult residential care.

ix. Missouri – Program participants aged 65 and older needing assisted living services are eligible.

x. Nebraska – Individuals aged 65 or older who agree to participate in medical and health care evaluations are eligible for home services or can be placed in an assisted living facility (2).

xi. New Jersey – Under the Enhanced Community Options waiver (3), individuals can either remain at home to receive assistive services or be placed in an assisted living facility.

xii. Ohio – The Ohio Department of Aging is responsible for determining applicants’ waiver eligibility, evaluation of disabilities, prognoses, and financial assets for proper placement within assisted living facilities.

xiii. Rhode Island – Aged and disabled individuals are provided with assisted living services, case management, and specialized medical equipment.

xiv. Vermont – Eligible Medicaid recipients are provided with assisted living services under Choices for Care, 1115 Long-Term Care Medicaid Waiver, as well as a number of other care options.

xv. Virginia – This state’s Medicaid waiver programs apply only to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia who require the services of assisted living facilities. Depending upon the medical circumstances, age limits may be in effect.

xvi. Washington – The waiver program provides for aged and disabled residents at assisted living facilities.

xvii. West Virginia – Aged and disabled program participants are provided with adult residential care and assisted living services.

Additionally, some states offer details on restrictions and eligibility that can be downloaded by navigating to each respective state’s Medicaid waiver informational link.

What to Look for in the Future

State governments determine eligibility based on income, giving lower-income seniors an opportunity to be placed in a facility that will look after their needs and supervise daily activities. With the baby boomers retiring as we speak and well into the coming years, will we see growth in the number of Medicaid-eligible assisted living facilities in other states? Perhaps the thirty-three or so other states will realize the incredible benefits to both seniors and society in general.

Sources

1. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidStWaivProgDemoPGI/MWDL/list.asp?intNumPerPage=all&submit=Go

2. http://www.nenaaa.com/finding-care/aged-medicaid/

3. http://www.state.nj.us/health/senior/go.shtml

Assisted living facilities  and hospitals all over the country have used pets to offer comfort when people are feeling low. Cats, dogs, birds and even hamsters and guinea pigs are often used for every age as a means for distraction, comfort, companionship and good positive energy that is so often needed in times of sickness or loneliness.

An assisted living Minnesota therapeutic dog named “Kaiser,” has been making visits for several years to seniors coping with physical and mental disabilities. Kaiser is also known in Minnesota schools, hospitals and long term rehabilitation centers. Besides patients, Kaiser and his owner volunteer their time and have made several friends with staff members, nurses, doctors and caregivers all over the state. Besides having dogs like Kaiser make weekly rounds to different hospitals, many assisted living facilities have a resident pet or allow residents to keep pets themselves. Living with any pet can have its pluses and minuses of course.

The Positives and Negatives of Pets in Assisted Living Facilities

•    Allergies- residents can have intense reactions to pet dander that can make their current situation even worse. Before introducing any pet to an assisted living facility, it’s wise to double check everyone’s tolerances for cats and dogs. Best case scenario should there be allergies is to have one common area exclusively for the resident pet and for residents who are not allergic to spend some time without making anyone else miserable with itching and sneezing.

•    Cleaning, feeding and general care of the resident pet or pets- Owning a pet is a big responsibility on top of the other delegated tasks for assisted living staff. It will have to be the concern of all staff members to make sure the resident pet is properly fed, bathed and taken outside often. When residents own pets inside their rooms, even if it is just a goldfish, assisted living staff need to make sure each resident as well as their pet are having their needs met, which can be burdensome for an already busy facility.

•    Financial concerns- Pet food and vet bills can add up. It’s probably not the best idea for any assisted living facility to take on another financial responsibility if funds are already stretched thin.

•    The positives highly outweigh the negatives- happier residents, lowered anxiety, reduced depression and stress and brighter and more positive energy throughout the residence.

•    Pets can offer an outreach for residents who may have trouble speaking and communicating with other residences.

•    Pets can give seniors a job and a purpose to their lives, by feeding them, grooming them and taking them on walks.

Studies have shown that the genuine, non-judgmental love that animals can give to residents in assisted living facilities can prove dramatic results. If your facility cannot have a live-in pet, contact your local humane society and see if a dog or cat could come for weekly visits.