Changes ahead in long-term care
Changes ahead in long-term care
UMRA’s February workshop, moderated by Ron Anderson, presented three speakers picked for their expertise in the fields of senior housing and long-term care.
Trends in senior housing
Susan Farr, a vice president at Ebenezer, Minnesota’s largest senior-living operator, noted that Minnesota was #3 in the overall rankings of Best States in the 2019 Aging in America report from U.S. News and World Report. Farr predicted that the share of seniors choosing to remain in single-family residences will remain “flat” for the next 15 years. She also predicted shortages in caregivers, chore service providers, and others needed to enable seniors to “age in place.” Farr expects costs to rise for seniors who live in either homes or facilities, including assisted living, memory care, and general retirement communities. All specialized services will require better-trained staff. Farr also predicted increased use of “smart technology” for senior care in the future.
Advocating for seniors in conflicts
Cheryl Hennen, director of the State Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care, coordinates 20 full-time and hundreds of volunteer advocates for seniors in housing and caregiving conflicts. Together, these advocates receive, investigate, and resolve complaints from residents and families involved in long-term care, including seniors living at home who use a variety of in-home care services. Hennen said her office will double in size after the new Minnesota assisted living licensing system goes into effect August 1, 2021.
Assessing satisfaction with assisted living
Tetyana Shippee, PhD, a social gerontologist and associate professor in the School of Public Health, described a collaboration between the University and the Minnesota Department of Human Services to develop a statewide “report card” to help consumers make better-informed decisions about individual assisted living facilities. There is currently no standardized comparative information available, she said, adding, “Assisted living as a field is still in its infancy, but it is growing exponentially.” Shippee serves on the Minnesota Department of Health Assisted Living Licensure Advisory Committee and described many of the intricacies of state decision-making.
Adjusting to senior housing
Earl Nolting acted as discussant for the workshop, describing his downsizing and 2018 move to a continuing care retirement community and briefly highlighting the decisions, problems, and satisfactions involved. As an UMRA Cares Committee member, he has volunteered to share the details of his experience with others considering a move. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or call/text him at 651-895-4289.
—Earl Nolting, UMRA Cares Committee
February workshop: Senior housing and long-term care
Tue, February 25 2020, 1:30pm
Campus Club 4th Floor, West Wing Dining Room
Probably the most difficult decisions we face as retirees concern where and how we live and how to make arrangements for long-term care (LTC). February’s workshop will bring in experts to help us with these decisions.
Depicting the fast-evolving senior housing and health delivery landscape will be Susan Farr, a vice president at Ebenezer, Minnesota’s largest senior-living operator. Describing how to get help on LTC issues will be Cheryl Hennen, state ombudsman for long-term care at the Minnesota Board on Aging. And discussing quality of life indicators for senior care will be Tetyana Shippee, PhD, a social gerontologist and associate professor in the U of M School of Public Health Division of Health Policy and Management. Earl Nolting, former chair of the UMRA Cares Committee, will serve as discussant, and Ron Anderson will be the moderator.
Of those turning 65 in the U.S. today, a third will eventually move into assisted living or skilled nursing facilities. Minnesota had no assisted living facilities in 1980, but now has 1,500. The number of “memory care” facilities is also skyrocketing. However, the majority of people older than 65 who need LTC get care at home, called “aging in place.”
Given the large number of LTC facilities, it is not surprising that quality-of-service issues arise. The State established the Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care to help. Its work will double in 2021 when Minnesota’s new licensing framework for assisted living communities goes into effect.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services “Nursing Home Report Card” gives nursing homes quality ratings that can be used in selecting facilities. The U’s Division of Health Policy and Management has projects to help move toward creating an Assisted Living Report Card.
Keep in mind that the senior housing facilities with the best reputations have long waiting lists, some with wait times of five to ten years. Seniors should plan many years in advance of actual need, and our February workshop is designed with that in mind.
Come with your stories and questions for the speaker panel.
—Ron Anderson, Cares Committee
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.