Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Assistive Living, the new housing alternative at Bishop's Commons?
Assistive Living creates a unique combination of housing, support services and personal assistance in a community featuring home-like apartments, where seniors know there is a trained staff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week when they need assistance. A relatively new concept in senior housing, Assistive Living is designed to provide privacy and promote independence, yet offer appealing opportunities for socializing and dining in larger groups, at an affordable rate.

What types of services are included at Bishop's Commons?
Like most Assistive Living residences, Bishop's Commons offers three meals a day, activities, laundry service, housekeeping and transportation. There are many shared or "common" areas, such as a library, fitness center, beauty/barber shop and more.

How is an Assistive Living residence different from a nursing home or a retirement community?
Assistive living residents are healthier, and do not need substantial medical care, when compared with nursing home residents. Although Assistive Living residents may need some degree of help with some activities, such as bathing, dressing, or medication supervision, they are more independent than those needing acute care. Retirement communities are for seniors who do not need any personal assistance.

Why has Assistive Living become popular?
Several factors have contributed to the success of Assistive Living. Americans are living longer, and have placed increasing demands on long-term care as costs for skilled nursing care have skyrocketed. At the same time, the increase in working couples has essentially meant that women, the traditional caregivers for aging parents, are seldom able to care for aging family members as effectively as in the past. Add to this mix the fact that seniors prefer to remain as active and independent, and want to remain near their families and friends. All these needs converged and Assistive Living was developed as an appealing, affordable and attractive residential alternative.

Seniors are enthusiastic because Assistive Living provides the comforts of home without the worries. Their families are enthusiastic because they know their loved one will have care available whenever they need it. Residents of Assistive Living value the socialization component, forming new friendships and having planned recreation programs has proven in various studies conducted to promote a person's mental and physical health.

Who lives in Assistive Living residences?
Currently, more than a million Americans live in an estimated 30,000 Assistive Living residences. Some are couples, some are siblings and others are widowed or single.

What about cost?
Costs vary with the residence, room size and the types of services needed by the residents. The cost is substantially less than a skilled nursing facility and generally less than the cost of home health services and in many instances is not much more than a person is spending in his or her current home.

How is Assistive Living regulated?
Regulations vary from state to state. Providers usually have specially trained staff either as a state requirement or organizational policy. Since the development of Assistive Living was consumer-driven, seniors continue to play an important role by expressing their opinions in regard to the benefits and drawbacks of increasing regulations. All residences must comply with local building codes and fire safety regulations. Any care component is provided through either a licensed facility or a licensed home health care agency in New York State.

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