Assisted living incorporates balanced quality-of-life values – choice, dignity, individuality and privacy within a homelike setting with an emphasis on health and safety.

In general, assisted living assumes people will act independently unless they need a specific service.

Our residents often continue their regular habits and activities, such as:

• Conducting many of their own business affairs
• Light daily housekeeping chores in their apartments, such as bed making and dishes
• Maintaining contact with family and friends
• Making choices about how to spend leisure time

Caregivers are responsible for encouraging independent living while providing services to meet a wide variety of needs.

Assisted living is designed to recognize, respect and support the idea that people have a right to control important life decisions and influence everyday routines, regardless of age or physical impairment.

We’re happy to discuss the criteria in detail with you during a tour or over the phone. The most important criteria for current or prospective residents are that they should have:

• Ability to respect the dignity and comfort of other residents
• Reasonable capacity to assist with meeting their own needs
• Strong preference for independence
• Understanding of the safety issues related to living in a more homelike environment

We offer seven different apartment layouts, ranging from a 318 square foot studio to an 830 square foot two bedroom/two bathroom apartment.

If you’d like to tour our community, please call us at the number above.

In assisted living, responsibility is shared among the caregivers, resident, family and other involved parties in providing agreed upon services and accepting the consequences of important decisions and behaviors.

• Caregivers – Our team is responsible for addressing clearly predictable or observable needs. They offer alternatives to promote health and safety and provide the agreed-upon services described in resident service plans. Providers must structure services to offer choice, demonstrate flexibility and creativity in supporting resident preferences. They provide services that protect each resident’s dignity and privacy, balancing the rights and comfort of all residents in the assisted living community.
• Residents – We ask all residents to provide candid information about their needs, preferences and changes in their condition when they wish the staff to provide related services. Without this information, staff cannot responsibly plan to meet needs or recommend appropriate service alternatives. Each resident shares the responsibility for showing common courtesy, tolerance and respect for their neighbors. Residents have the right to make important decisions and choices and must accept responsibility for the consequences.
• External supporters – We ask the loved ones, primary care doctors or specialists of our residents to keep us well informed of any health or lifestyle changes. This includes prescription changes, dietary adjustments or any changes in physical or behavioral behavior.

Aging in place is a goal to help individuals remain in a setting that has become their home for as long as they wish.

As individual needs increase, our caregivers reevaluate your service plan, consult experts, create options and support your stay until it’s no longer possible.

Yes, we oversee medication management for our residents as needed and work closely with clinical pharmacists to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality of care. Residents may manage their own medications with doctor approval.

Using a single pharmacy lets our pharmacists be able to monitor any potential drug interactions and makes it convenient with one monthly bill.

The deliveries from Credena Health Pharmacy Lakeshore or Safeway Pharmacy help eliminate the need for pickup and avoids potential medication shortages.

Living in an assisted living center offers independence and privacy, but there are also certain safety risks to consider:

Private apartments – Many residents live alone. Our apartments are equipped with safety handles and emergency call systems, like the supplied wireless pendant or pull cords in the bathroom and living areas.

• Potential risk: If a fall or health episode occurs, the resident may not be within easy reach of a pull cord or have their safety pendant on their person. Our staff carry master keys in case an emergency entry is necessary.

Unsupervised access – Common areas and snacks are accessible to residents. We allow food and beverages to be kept in apartments.

• Potential risk: Specific dietary restrictions might be ignored, or one might consume food allergens without supervision.

Our team can help with safety planning and answer any questions you or your loved ones may have. For serious hazards, a Managed or Negotiated Risk Agreement may be asked to be signed.

Our caregivers will respond to a health care emergency as they would react to a person living in their own home.

In the case of a fall, injury or health emergency, our caregivers are generally prepared to provide first aid and comfort care. They’ll call for a nurse’s advice, and local emergency services will be called if necessary.

Although all caregivers are trained in CPR, each resident has their own instructions on the administration of CPR.

Emergency transportation to the hospital may be provided by family members if time permits or by a local emergency ambulance service. The cost of emergency transportation will be billed directly to the resident, although it will be ordered at the discretion of Providence St. Joseph Assisted Living.

Providence St. Joseph Assisted Living Center charges based on apartment size and services required by an individual resident. Charges increase as service needs increase.

Providence St. Joseph’s Assisted Living Center will give a 30-day notice of any rate change unless it is directly related to a change in services provided.

Facilities must provide a rental service agreement which describes terms of occupancy, charges, fees, deposits, billing information, including itemized charges of ancillary services, conditions under which rates can be changed and policies on refunds and furnishings. You will be given information about possible increased costs as soon as we suspect that service needs are increasing significantly.

There are additional out-of-pocket expenses that may occur that are the responsibility of the resident. Such items or services are:

• Beauty and barber services
• Certain transportation, outings and personal recreational expenses
• Costs for medications
• Diet supplements
• Health care supplies
• Household furnishings
• Personal items and supplies

If your needs exceed the ability of our caregivers to provide services (as determined by an assessment in excess of the building’s highest level of licensed service), they’ll work with you or the financially responsible party to negotiate more services to allow you to continue receiving care.

These services are likely to be an additional cost unless other public or volunteer resources are available.

Medicare does not pay for assisted living medical services. However, long-term health care insurance policies and some managed health care plans may cover some costs.

Medicare may pay for certain ancillary skilled nursing and therapy services – like occupational, physical and speech therapy – offered through certified home health agencies. Medicare HMOs and managed health care plans have their own requirements and limitations related to these services.

Like medications, podiatry or health care services, these skilled nursing and therapy services are not normally covered in the monthly assisted living charges.

Not all assisted living facilities accept Medicaid payment; some accept Medicaid payment only after a specific period of private payment. Some facilities may require an individual resident to move to a studio apartment as a condition of accepting Medicaid.