What’s the difference between independent living and assisted living?
The primary difference of assisted living is that in our setting we offer assistance to the residents with their daily living activities. Similar to independent living, our residents enjoy the privacy of their own apartment furnished and decorated with their own furnishings, memorabilia and favorite things. Assisted living residents and their guests can come and go on their own, free of any curfews. We do ask residents and guests to sign in and sign out, in case of emergencies. At such times accountability of those in the building is important.
Some key differences between independent and assisted living are that we offer medication assistance (dispensing the medication and coordinating the refills and new orders with the Physicians), assistance with showering three times a week, assistance with dressing and transfers to/from the dining room and activities. We also provide re-direction and reminders to those requiring such, and we provide staffing coverage for resident assistance 24-hours a day, seven days a week. We also offer three full meals a day, alleviating the need for a resident to prepare their own meals.
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What’s the difference between assisted living and skilled nursing?
Aside from the above mentioned assistance with daily living activities, some assisted living communities will provide additional care and services. The extent of the additional services and fees will vary from community to community. As an example, at the Veranda we do have an LVN Nurse on duty seven days a week. We will also assist and manage those individuals requiring incontinence care (bladder & bowel). We will assist with oxygen treatments (neubulizers), some injections (ex: monthly B12 shots and short term antibiotics), administering eye drops and hearing aids.
Our Skilled Nursing, Long Term Care and Rehabilitation levels manage more complex needs. These needs, treatments and therapies are outlined in our Rapid Recovery Unit section.
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Does Medicare or Medicaid cover one’s assisted living expenses?
No. Assisted living is private pay only. While in an assisted living community, Medicare will cover Part B rehabilitation and/or therapy costs. There is an annual limit. Once this is reached, all rehabilitation and therapy would be private pay.
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Do Long Term Care insurance policies cover assisted living expenses?
Some will. You should check with your agent or company regarding your individual policy. Many of the earlier policies covered only home health and skilled nursing expenses. However, some of these companies offered the addition of assisted living coverage as it came about. So it might have been added to these policies. The majority of companies now offer assisted living coverage as an option.
Long Term Care payments are made directly to the owner and not the facility. Monthly invoices are sent to the resident or financially responsible person for the monthly fees. Payment is made directly to the Veranda. Your invoice can then be copied and mailed/faxed to the LTC insurance company for reimbursement.
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Who owns the Veranda Preston Hollow?
The Veranda is owned by a non profit organization. The Legacy Senior Communities, Inc. manages the Veranda's daily operations.
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Are pets allowed? If so, are there any fees?
Yes, we are a pet-friendly community. Residents are responsible for the care of their pet. Should they not be able to walk their dog or handle the cat litter or feedings, we do offer a Pet Companion Program. For $200 a month we will walk the dog (three times a day). We will feed the cat (daily) and change the litter box once a week during the resident’s housekeeping day. Also, there is a non-refundable pet deposit of $500.
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What makes a resident eligible for Medicare Part A in a skilled nursing facility?
- The resident must have a Medicare card that reads “Hospital Insurance.”
- The resident’s physician must certify that the resident needs skilled care on a continuing basis.
- A minimum of three consecutive days (not counting the day of discharge) must have been spent in a hospital no longer than 30 days before entering the skilled nursing center.
- The need for skilled care must relate to the reason for hospitalization.
- All Medicare residents will be verified by our pre-admission process to confirm Medicare eligibility.
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What is paid for under Medicare Part A while in a skilled nursing center?
Semi-private rooms, meals, rehabilitation services, medication, supplies and medical equipment are all paid for.
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What are the Medicare rates if the qualifying criteria are met?
1-20 Days: The resident pays nothing. Medicare pays in full.
21-100 Days: The daily co-insurance rate is $124 and is determined by Medicare and paid by private resources, insurance or Medicaid.
100+ Days: Medicare no longer pays. Resident must pay privately or with insurance.
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Can I keep medications in my room?
All medications must be kept in the medication carts to be administered by a certified medication aide, per state regulations.
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When are vital signs taken?
Vital signs are taken once a day, during the first rounds at night (10:00 pm).
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How often are residents showered and how are the showers scheduled?
Residents receive a shower every other day. The shower schedules are based on the hall and bed location.
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What time are meals served? Can I dine with my relative or friend?
| Meal times |
| Breakfast: |
7:30 am — 9:00 am |
| Lunch: |
11:30 am — 1:00 pm |
| Dinner: |
5:15 pm —7:00 pm |
Yes, you can dine with your relative or friend. Meal tickets can be purchased at the Concierge Desk for $6.50 per person. We also have a variety of private dining areas and rooms that you can reserve, at no charge, through the Concierge.
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Do I have a choice in my menu selections?
Yes, an alternate entrée is offered for every meal, based on your diet order. We also offer a variety of other options for all meals. Ask to speak with our Dietary Manager for details.
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Can food be brought in for residents?
Yes. However, please stop by the Nurses’ Station to advise them, to ensure diet appropriateness.
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Can residents leave the premises for outside physician appointments or outings with family or friends?
- If a resident is on Medicare, they can be outside the building as long as the outing does not conflict with or negate any therapy sessions or procedures. A resident must return before midnight or will be considered discharged from Medicare coverage.
- If a resident is on Medicaid, they can be outside the building for a maximum of 72 hours each week.
- If a resident is on private pay, there are no curfews or time restraints for outside outings.
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How many days a week do residents get therapy? How long are the sessions?
If on Medicare: Five days a week, Monday — Friday. Weekends are reserved for evaluations that arrive on Friday or over the weekend, and any missed treatments.
The treatment plan and amount of therapy each patient receives is patient specific, depending on their medical condition and their doctor’s orders. In general, each discipline that is indicated delivers 45-60 minutes once a day.
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Will I be treated by the same therapist during my stay?
We are very consistent in delivering our services by the same therapist. Our staff consists of physical therapists and occupational therapists, as well as physical therapy assistants and a certified occupational therapist assistant. Allowing for absences for vacation/holiday time/illness, residents are treated by the same therapist or their supervised assistant.
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Do you give individual or group treatments?
The majority of our treatments are one-on-one with the therapist and the patient. We do utilize group therapy 1-2 times a week, if the patient is appropriate for the group activity. Co-treatments with more than 1 discipline working with a patient at a time are utilized occasionally if it is necessary for the patient to receive the appropriate and most dynamic care.
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