Beatitudes Campus continues to see an increase in cases, which has doubled last week’s number of cases. As of today, we have 31 cases on campus – 20 staff and 11 residents. The individuals infected are across all campus areas. We continue to aggressively test staff and residents in our licensed areas as it is one of our tools to mitigate the spread.
As of this morning, we currently have 19 active COVID-19 cases on campus – 6 residents and 13 staff. Thankfully, 46 individuals have recovered – 16 residents and 30 staff. We have lost 9 residents to COVID-19 and no staff. Our hearts prayers go out to the families and the individuals for healing and peace in this uncertain time.
Beatitudes at Home and Beatitudes Home Health are different programs, but they both have the same goal in mind: To keep our residents as independent as possible for as long as possible.
Someone stopped me in the Bistro the other day and told me he often uses the articles that I have been putting in the Roadrunner to share with friends who are considering a move to Beatitudes Campus. That was a much appreciated compliment and it occurred to me today (New Year’s..) one of those reflective times when I am thinking of a lot of plans for 2018) that it might be worthwhile for all of you to have a bit of a tool to use when speaking to family or friends about their potential move to our Life Plan Community.
That’s really one of the best points – “Life Plan.” When you made the decision to live at Beatitudes, you did yourself the favor of taking one of the most important steps in planning for your “senior” years. If your friend or a loved one is considering their senior living options, they likely have begun doing research on retirement communities. With all of the choices available, it can be a lot to take in so the decision process can take some time, depending on the situation. Some senior living decisions are needs-based and move much quicker, while others are more preference-based and can take months or even years.
The timing conundrum
Ideally, one should not wait until the day they need to move to begin planning. If for no other reason, this can be problematic because of the very subject I am addressing here—there could be a wait list for the living setting you prefer. But one of the challenges of planning ahead for long term care housing needs is that it can be hard to foresee exactly when you will need it. It could happen slowly with the natural aging process or the progression of a degenerative disease, or it can occur quickly with an illness or injury. So it is advisable to get on the waiting list if you are looking at the Beatitudes for yourself or a family member; this way, when the time comes and your house sells or situation changes, you will hopefully be near the top of the list and, most importantly, you will be able to enjoy the many, many benefits of independent living on the campus while you can.
We are taking reservations right now for the new patio homes that we’ve announced and will begin “pre-sales” (deposits) in mid-February. Our priority program has reached 56 members with 47 who have paid their initial placeholder deposit for a chance at one of our 34 patio homes. One of the additional benefits that has also occurred during the last few months as we have presented the opportunity to hundreds of interested prospects has been that some are deciding to move into our present residences rather than wait! If your friends or family are eyeing a continuing care retirement community (CCRC, also known as a Life Plan Community) another consideration is that many communities require new residents be able to “walk in,” that is, they must be relatively able-bodied when they first move to the community. In fact, many Life Plan Communities have a very active base of residents such as we do who live independently today, but want to be someplace where care is available to them on-site when needed. Most Life Plan Communities maintain an assisted living and/or health care center in addition to offering independent living such as Beatitudes Campus. We are blessed to have such highly rated licensed care options here for eventual needs as well as supplemental care options (Beatitudes Home Health and Beatitudes at Home) to extend independence.
How waiting lists work
Many Life Plan Communities have wait lists—yet, these lists are not necessarily just for assisted living or skilled nursing. When applicable, wait lists are often also associated with an independent living residence. When adding your name to a wait list, you’ll typically specify which type of unit you desire, e.g., a patio home, one or two-bedroom apartment, etc. When a resident in your desired unit type moves out (often because their needs have progressed and they are transferring into the on-site assisted living or healthcare facility) then the unit becomes available to you.
Once you’re on the wait list, retirement communities may offer a variety of perks to future residents—maybe unlimited use of their pool and exercise facility, or access to other community events and activities. We have begun our L.A.F.F. (Lifestyle, Activities, Fun and Friendship) Club to facilitate that very type of relationship to the campus. In fact, a growing number of Life Plan Communities are beginning to call their wait list a “membership” just like ours. I would encourage residents-to-be to take advantage of this benefit as it allows you to begin the process of assimilating into the community and meeting future neighbors, even before you live there. We do have some club members who have not put their names on the wait list, but many do so in order to have good familiarity with the campus when the time is right.
It is also good to be aware that some communities will have an internal waiting list such as we do. If you find yourself in a situation where you need (or want) to move into the community and your preferred unit is not available—forcing you to settle for your second or third choice–you can go ahead and move in but stay on the internal list and wait for your desired unit-type to open up. Existing residents will typically get priority over non-residents, so you may be able to get your preference more quickly. Adding your name to the waiting list is one of the ways you can plan for your future. This step can give you and your loved ones a level of security, knowing that you will be well-cared for in the future.
Remember that, as a Beatitudes resident, if you refer a prospect who becomes a priority program member, you’ll earn $100. If that prospect does sign a residency contract and move into Central Park or a Patio Home, you’ll receive a $1,000 bonus after they have lived on campus for four months. Your second successful referral is worth $1250 and the third earns $1500 – that’s a possibility of $3750 a year! The only requirements are that the prospect is not already in our marketing database and that you do register the name with the sales staff prior to their initial tour.
These are indeed exciting times here and we are equally as excited to see all of the progress being made!
As you know, living at Beatitudes Campus has many benefits. Did you know that one of the most important is that you have a full continuum of care services available to you should you ever need them? We would like you to be aware of what is available to you prior to you possibly needing the services.
Recently, while taking part in The Design Studio, I was asked if I could explain what is needed or how we determine what level of care or services someone needs. That was the perfect time for me to give a shameless plug for a presentation which will be given on Tuesday, February 14th. I shared that myself and the Directors of these areas on campus will discuss this information and much more and encouraged everyone to attend. I am sure there’s many of you with questions like—how many of you are wondering what services are provided on each floor of the Health Care Center? What is the difference between Independent Living and Assisted Living? What services are offered on campus that may help support you in staying in your apartment longer? Also, have you been curious as to what Medicare services are available on campus? How about the cost of services? You will find out these answers plus a whole lot more if you join us for this informative presentation in the Agelink Great Room on Tuesday, February 14th at 3PM.
During this 90 minute presentation—graciously sponsored by The Health and Wellness Committee and Lifelong Learners—you will hear from not only me, but also Teresa Borton, Health Care Center Director of Nursing; Elizabeth Kerr, Administrator/Clinical Director of Beatitudes Home Health and Beatitudes at Home; and Ron Ingram, Director of Assisted Living and Early Memory Support.
Please don’t miss out on this great opportunity to learn about what care services the campus offers in what is sure to be a fun and interactive way. Hope to see you on the 14th at 3PM.
Late each year, beneficiaries are offered the opportunity to review their Medicare plans and make changes accordingly during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period. Understanding how your insurance selection impacts you is more important today than ever before. This is crucial since the Affordable Health Care Plans and Medicare are key Congressional discussion items.
To help educate and inform you on Medicare updates and available options, we have asked a third party insurance consultant, Ellen Dean from Dean and Associates, to come and discuss changes in Medicare on Monday, October 19th at 2:30pm in the Motion Studio at the Nelson Administration Center. Mrs. Dean, an expert on senior health insurance since 1992, will inform you on the complexities of Medicare Insurance Coverage and Part D Prescription Drug Coverage. Ellen’s partner, Katie Ponton, will also be available to specifically discuss changes directly related to the 2017 Part D Drug Plans. Additionally, Ellen has agreed to meet individually with residents and their families to evaluate insurance coverage and re-enroll you into a different insurance plan if you so desire. Medicare open enrollment is scheduled for October 15-December 7, 2016 with changes effective for a January 1, 2017 start date. As a Certified© Financial Planner and Health Insurance Broker, Mrs. Dean and Katie work with many insurance companies and are not restricted to a limited few….their expertise is highly valued!
Like many health care providers, we are not contracted with many Medicare Advantage HMO Plans. This is due, in large part, to the fact that many HMOs do not reimburse our Health Care Center at the rate that covers the cost of care provided. Offering high-quality skilled nursing care services is important to us because we know these services are important to you and your family. In addition, to add to our continuum of care, the services offered by Beatitudes Home Health are only reimbursed by Medicare at this time, as well as our outpatient therapy clinics which are contracted with Medicare and very few other insurance companies.
It is essential that you understand your current options and find a plan that works best for you in regards to costs and access to care. Our experience has shown that residents who have Medicare with a traditional supplement have greater satisfaction with health care services. These residents have more choices in providers and may see lower out-of-pocket costs in the event of a medical emergency, post-hospital skilled care event, or cancer treatments.
I hope you will join us on October 19th for this special informational session covering the 2017 Traditional Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage plan (HMO) Benefits. Additionally, you may set a private appointment with Mrs. Dean right here on Campus by calling 602-266-9200. *
Every now and then we need a little extra help at home. Did you know that Beatitudes Campus can help with that?
Here on our campus, we have two different services to assist with your needs. Beatitudes Home Health and Beatitudes at Home are the two programs and there tends to be some confusion about which program offers what services. If you have been confused about the difference between Beatitudes Home Health services and Beatitudes at Home services, I hope the remainder of this article will help clarify.
Home Health Agencies such as Beatitudes Home Health are licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services which means this program has regulatory oversight. Also:
For more information about Beatitudes Home Health or to schedule an in home consultation, please call (602) 544-5000.
Home Care Agencies such as Beatitudes at Home are not licensed by any government agency so instead of regulatory oversight, they are managed by policies and procedures based on standard operating practices of Home Care Agencies. Also:
For more information about Beatitudes at Home or to schedule an in home consultation, please call (602) 544-8527.
