Understanding your care options
Senior living has its own vocabulary. Here's what each option means in plain language, who it tends to fit, and a question worth asking on every tour.
Independent living
Apartments or cottages in a community built for older adults, with meals, housekeeping, activities, and transportation often included. No hands-on care is provided.
Often a good fit when someone is…
- Still managing daily routines on their own
- Tired of home upkeep, driving, or cooking
- Lonely or isolated and would enjoy more company
Ask on the tour: What happens if care needs grow? Can they add in-home help, or move to assisted living on the same campus?
Assisted living
A community with private apartments plus help with daily routines like bathing, dressing, and medications. Meals, activities, and staff are on hand around the clock.
Often a good fit when someone is…
- Needs help with a few daily tasks or medication reminders
- Safety worries at home, like falls or forgetting the stove
- Would benefit from structure and social life
Ask on the tour: How is care priced: all-inclusive, levels, or a la carte? What's the overnight staffing?
Memory care
Secure, specially designed care for people living with Alzheimer's or another dementia, with staff trained to handle confusion, wandering, and changing behavior with patience.
Often a good fit when someone is…
- A dementia diagnosis, or growing memory loss
- Wandering, getting lost, or unsafe at home alone
- A caregiving spouse or family who are worn out
Ask on the tour: What training does the staff have, and how do they handle a hard afternoon? How do they keep residents engaged?
Adult family homes
A licensed home in a regular neighborhood, caring for a small number of residents (Washington allows up to six, or up to eight with approval). Many offer a high level of care in a quieter, more personal setting.
Often a good fit when someone is…
- Would do better in a calm, home-like place than a large building
- Needs more hands-on care, sometimes up to end of life
- Families looking for a more personal fit, sometimes at a lower cost
Ask on the tour: Who lives in the home, and who is on duty overnight? Is the provider or a nurse involved day to day?
In-home care
Caregivers who come to your loved one's own home for a few hours a week up to around the clock, helping with personal care, meals, errands, and company.
Often a good fit when someone is…
- Wants to stay home and the home is safe enough
- Needs a few hours of help, or relief for a family caregiver
- A short-term bridge while you plan a move
Ask on the tour: Around-the-clock care at home can cost more than a community. Let's compare it honestly before you decide.
What does it cost?
Prices in the Tri-Cities vary widely by community, apartment size, and level of care, and they change often. Rather than post numbers that go stale, I'll give you current pricing for the places that fit your loved one, along with what's included and what costs extra.
We'll also talk through ways families pay for care, such as savings, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, and Medicaid, so you know what to look into.
Not sure which option fits?
That's exactly what our first conversation is for. Tell me about your loved one and I'll help you sort it out, at no cost to you.