The Benefits of Care Continuum when Choosing a Seattle Retirement Community

The primary benefit of choosing a retirement community with a care continuum is simple: you will not need to move if or when your care needs increase.

The choices for retirement living are abundant, especially at the beginning of a search. 

Choosing a Seattle Retirement Community is a significant and complex decision that involves considering multiple factors. As the search for senior Independent Living begins, it is important to consider the amenities and activities available on the campus, but more importantly to fully understand the Assisted Living options available if or when the need arises.

What is a Continuum of Care in Senior Living?

A continuum of care refers to a spectrum of care services offered to residents within a retirement community. A continuum affords Independent Living residents’ access to the appropriate type of care if or when their care needs increase. The purpose of the continuum is to provide an integrated living situation that promotes wellness, independence and quality of life.

At a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) like The Hearthstone, the continuum of care is built into the community’s model, it is not an add-on or an exception. Here is how each level works and what they mean for residents.

The continuum includes assisted living, cognitive support and more.

What Is Independent Living?

Independent Living refers to residences for those ready for retirement, ready to ease the burden of home ownership and those who are seeking the social opportunities associated with communal senior living. 

Independent Living residents are active and self-sufficient, living in their own apartments while enjoying a full calendar of events, wellness programs, dining, and shared amenities.

What Is Assisted Living?

Assisted Living services are designed to help residents retain as much independence as possible. Individual care plans are developed for each resident’s unique needs and may include medication management, mobility support and help with the many activities of daily living. The goal is to step in where support is needed so residents may continue to thrive.

What Is Cognition Support?

Programs are implemented in order to provide meaningful engagement for residents experiencing cognitive decline.

What Is Skilled Nursing?

Skilled nursing takes place in a hospital setting and is predicated by a Doctor’s orders. Types of service provided in skilled nursing units include post-fall rehab, post-surgical rehab, post-infection rehab and end-of-life care among other services. The typical skilled nursing stay is eighteen days and many stays are covered by Medicare. In recent years, access to the full continuum of care in retirement communities has changed. Many retirement communities have exited or outsourced skilled nursing due to the financial burden that sometimes accompanies small skilled nursing operations. Many CCRCs may offer access to skilled nursing services at a preferred third-party partner facility. In addition, Care and Case Management teams ensure seamless transitions to and from Skilled Nursing facilities if the need arises.

Why Does a Care Continuum Matter When Choosing a Retirement Community?

The continuum of care provides seniors with the support they need to maintain their independence while addressing any future care needs that may arise. Many Independent Living residents never need to access assisted care, however, easy access to care under one roof when the time arrives offers great peace of mind by eliminating the need to travel for care or move to a new residence altogether. Below are a few additional benefits of a care continuum.

You Will Not Have to Move As Your Care Needs Increase

The continuum of care provides residents with the support they need to maintain their independence while addressing any future care needs that may arise. Many Independent Living residents never need to access the continuum but knowing it is there, under the same roof, ensures that they can stay as their care needs increase.

Couples Can Stay Together

This is one of the most meaningful, and often overlooked, advantages of the continuum. If one partner’s care needs change before the other’s, both can remain in the same community in a shared Assisted Living apartment. They share meals, common spaces, and daily life together, even as each receives the appropriate level of support. Without a continuum, couples are frequently separated into different facilities at an already difficult time.

Planning Ahead Becomes Possible

Choosing a community with a full continuum while you are healthy and independent means that future care decisions have already been made thoughtfully, on your own terms, not in the middle of a health crisis. As The Hearthstone’s entrance fee model reflects, this kind of planning also affords priority access to Assisted Living when the time comes. Learn more about how the CCRC model works.

Peace of Mind for Families

For adult children and loved ones, knowing that a parent lives in a community where care is available , without requiring a disruptive move, is an enormous relief. The continuum is not just a benefit for residents. It is peace of mind for their loved ones.

How Common is a Full Continuum of Care in Seattle Retirement Communities?

The hallmark of a continuing care retirement community is access to services such as Assisted Living and cognitive support within the same community. However, not all retirement communities that advertise a ‘continuum’ offer every level on-site.

In recent years, many retirement communities have exited or outsourced certain health services due to their financial and operational complexities. When evaluating a community, it is worth asking specifically: which levels of care are available on-site? Which are managed off-site? And what does access actually look like: is it guaranteed, or is it subject to availability?

At The Hearthstone, Independent Living, Assisted Living, and cognitive support are all available within the community. Post-hospitalization case management coordinates off-site care when prescribed by a physician. The Entrance Fee model affords Independent Living residents priority and unfettered access to Assisted Living.

Learn More About The Hearthstone: the Leading Seattle Retirement Community

Recognized for three consecutive years by Newsweek as the top continuing care retirement community in Washington State, The Hearthstone Green Lake offers so much to current and prospective residents, including Independent Living and access to a full continuum of care.

The Hearthstone campus consists of three buildings: The Flagship Lakeside building on the shores of Green Lake, Cove West and Cove East. Residents in any of our buildings are afforded a full complement of community amenities and CCRC health services. Beyond those invaluable services, The Hearthstone provides a true sense of comfort and belonging to all who are happy to call our community their home.

To learn more about The Hearthstone, call  (206) 517-2216 or complete the contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Continuum of Care in Senior Living