Care Concierge FAQ

Assisted Living defines a residence which includes supportive services 24 hours a day. These services are designed to help residents fulfill their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), which include grooming, bathing, dressing, medication management, and other scheduled or unscheduled needs. An Assisted Living Community is NOT a nursing home; rather, it is a 'social model' community which focuses on support, care, and social opportunities for its residents.

Assisted living communities will typically have 'levels of care' associated with its offered programs, so as residents age in place in the community -- and, potentially, need more assistance with their ADLs -- they will be able to stay in their community.

Most Assisted Living communities offer services related to the support of people with mild to moderate dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. These services are often provided in a specialized section of the community, which is typically secured to help prevent residents from wandering off-campus and into danger. Memory Care programs are focused, structure-based programs which specialize in reminiscence based activities designed to stimulate residents on cognitive and social levels. 

Memory Care neighborhoods typically have staff members specifically dedicated to that part of the community, and there is usually more supervision of residents throughout the day and overnight. 

Assisted living communities have risen in cost over the past few years due to the increased level of service they typically provide. Current day assisted living communities may offer 24-hour nursing in addition to their normal care staff; enhanced amenities such as on-site movie theaters, fitness centers, and swimming pools; gourmet meals served in professionally staffed, on-site restaurants, and more. Communities also are more often capable of caring for residents longer than previous years, allowing residents to avoid nursing homes much more often.

We get paid by the providers themselves when a new resident moves into their community, although we will partner with any community in good standing whether we have a contract with them or not. Our organization prides itself on its integrity and we will continue to do everything we can to help anyone and everyone who reaches out to us for advice.

For people who are in need of nursing home placement, the Care Concierge does offer the Nursing Home Navigator service. That service (currently offered in Rhode Island only) is a $500 charge.

We carefully vet each partner community to ensure they have the culture, the services, and the integrity we would be looking for if we were seeking assisted living for our own loved ones. Often times, we will personally tour the community before recommending that community to any clients, so we have the opportunity to meet the community team and observe a 'day in the life' of that community's residents. 

We also rely heavily on the feedback from clients who have loved ones in our recommended communities. Please feel free to keep us updated on how your loved one is enjoying their stay in their new home!

That depends on the person. Some families are most concerned about the location of the community in relation to other family members; others will make a decision based on cost. Some families have certain 'punch-list' requirements, from needing a swimming pool on-site to having nursing care round-the-clock. 

Overall, our best recommendation is to approach each community with an open mind and be as clear as possible about what is important to you and your loved ones. Some families have found that they immediately 'click' with a community and the residents who live there, even though on paper that community didn't have everything on their punch list. The Care Concierge is committed to helping you make the best possible choice for the best possible community!