Assisted living remains hot commodity - Westfair Communications

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The modern assisted living facility ”“ a locus of monitored independence where a year”™s worth of customizable care can cost more than a college education ”“ is seeing surprisingly high occupancy rates, according to a national survey, as well as a reverse migration of residents because of the economy, some local centers say.

The 2009 Overview of Assisted Living Survey reported average occupancy rates of nearly 95 percent. It was collaboratively produced by the Assisted Living Federation of America, the American Association of Housing and Services for the Aging, the American Seniors Housing Association, the National Investment Centers for the Seniors Housing and Care Industry and the National Center for Assisted Living.

Some believe the national average could be lower than what the survey indicates. Â

“We happen to be at full capacity right now and are always at 95 to 100 percent occupied, but we”™re an anomaly,” said Wendy Winnick-Baskin, executive director of Atria Senior Living in Darien. “Around the country it can”™t be more than in the 80s (percent). We are lucky to be well-established and in an area where people can still afford to move into a community like this.”

Significant deviations from the national average were mainly in coastal areas in the South, such as Florida as well as in Arizona, which “Probably experience far below the national average based on what we”™ve seen,” said Paul Williams, senior director of government relations at the Assisted Living Federation of America.

“We”™ve been doing fine,” said Irene Andujar, executive director of Vassar-Warner Adult Home in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. “Our occupancy rate has been at 98 percent or better.”

Echoing Andujar”™s evaluation was Rose Thomason, director of community relations at Ridgefield Crossings in Fairfield County, who said “98 percent is about where we are.”

If anything, the tri-state region could be experiencing strong occupancy rates as a direct result of the financial strain of the recession.

“We have seen a huge reverse migration from Florida,” said Jean Dunphy, executive director of Willow Towers Assisted Living Facility in New Rochelle, N.Y., who said the occupancy rate was at maximum capacity until four weeks ago, when it dropped to 98 percent. “When people get sick or are hospitalized and their children are flying down every weekend, it becomes impossible. It”™s the adult child that often makes the decision.”

While “the trend before was to go to the Sunbelt, now the prime consideration is proximity to family,” Williams said of the aging population.

Dunphy said the adult children and advocates of Willow Towers”™ residents live anywhere from New York City to Mahopac, N.Y., but the boundary also extends beyond those borders.

Williams said prudent consideration is on the rise on the potential resident”™s part. Â

“What”™s happened is, which I think is a good trend, people are more careful about what services they”™re purchasing in a tight economy,” Williams said. “Or, they look at ways a community can provide for future needs as people age.”Â

Dunphy advises Willow Towers”™ families plan financially for five years.

“We encourage residents to plan long term,” she said. “One family had to downsize to a smaller apartment because of a 401(k) hit, but that was only one instance at a time when we were 100 percent occupied.”

At the Phoenix Memory Support Neighborhood at Willow Towers, an Alzheimer”™s and dementia unit, “We”™re always at maximum capacity,” Dunphy said.

There is currently a waiting list at Atria Darien, the executive director said, but there are a few vacancies that will accommodate new residents.

The 2009 overview reported nearly all assisted living facilities surveyed provide wellness, social and recreational activities.

To heighten the longevity of residential stays, facilities are catering to individual resident requests.

“We get a change in residents, so we go to great lengths to ask new residents what hobbies or interests they have that we don”™t necessarily have here,” Andujar said. “We offered a low-impact exercise program established years ago by the Office of the Aging ”¦ and recently had a representative come back in, retrain our staff and found tremendous improvements with residents being able to walk and with balance issues.”

“We know every resident who lives here and their family,” Dunphy said. “That familiarity is really important ”¦ you have to know people”™s quirks.”