A favorite part of my job is the opportunity to talk with residents of the assisted living communities Gardant manages.
Out of curiosity, I will ask about where they were living prior to making the move to the assisted living community; what prompted them to considering moving; how long they have lived in the community; and how they feel about their decision to move.
One of the conversations that sticks out in my mind occurred a few years ago. I was talking to Pearl, her daughter and her son-in-law. Pearl was 89 years of age when we spoke. Prior to moving into the assisted living community Gardant manages, Pearl had been living alone in an apartment. Her vision was failing so she was no longer able to drive, and she was having difficulty seeing her medications. A home health aide was providing Pearl with the assistance she needed.
The challenge was that Pearl quickly was running out of the financial resources needed to afford the home health aide. Her monthly income was not nearly enough to cover the $1,000 a week cost of the home health aide plus all of her other living expenses such as rent and food. She had to tap into her savings, which was now reaching the point of being fully depleted. In addition, she had started falling in the middle of the night when she was all alone.
Her daughter explained that we had gotten to the point where we thought a nursing home was going to be Pearl’s only option. Having Mom live with us was not an option since we both work. She would be home alone during the day as we could not afford home health to be with her during the hours we would be away. Fortunately, the daughter said, we learned about an affordable assisted living community that Gardant operates that is close to where my husband and I live. Pearl was able to move into her own private apartment and receive the personal assistance and help with medications she needed.
She also benefitted from the availability of support services such as three meals a day, housekeeping and laundry and from knowing that staff is on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Twice over the past few weeks, I told Pearl’s story. I believe it illustrates so well how affordable assisted living communities that serve individuals on a Medicaid-waiver for assisted living create a Win-Win-Win situation. The first time I told the story was at the Ribbon Cutting program marking the completion of construction for a community in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and a week later at the Ribbon Cutting program for a community in Mishawaka, Indiana. Gardant is honored to have been part of the development team and selected to manage both communities.
Evergreen Village at Fort Wayne is located on the southwest corner of Auburn and Union Chapel Roads on the north side of Fort Wayne. The community is designed to serve older adults of all incomes. We also manage the Evergreen Village affordable assisted living community in Bloomington, Indiana.
Joining in the Ribbon Cutting program for Evergreen Village at Fort Wayne were Indiana State Senator Liz Brown; Mayor Tom Henry; and Zach Cattell, President of the Indiana Health Care Association/Indiana Center for Assisted Living.
Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka is located at Logan St. and Dragoon Trail in Mishawaka, Indiana. The community is designed to serve low-income older adults. Gardant also manages Hellenic affordable assisted living communities in Elkhart, Indianapolis and New Albany, Indiana.
Joining in the Ribbon Cutting program for the Hellenic affordable assisted living community in Mishawaka were Steve Beck, President and CEO of AHEPA Management Company of Fishers, Indiana; Lance Robertson, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging; Indiana State Rep. Dale DeVon; Mishawaka Mayor David Wood; and Zachery Potts, District Director for U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski.
For residents, affordable assisted living communities such as the Evergreen Village and Hellenic communities provide a wonderful and much more appropriate alternative to a nursing home. Residents can get the help, assistance and support services they need to maintain their independence. They can live in a private studio or one-bedroom apartment that they can furnish to their taste. The apartments feature a kitchenette, with microwave and refrigerator/freezer; a spacious bathroom with shower and grab bars; individually controlled heating and air conditioning; and emergency alert system.
The communities can serve individuals who can pay privately and those who qualify for a Medicaid-waiver for assisted living.
Families benefit from knowing that their loved one is getting the help and assistance they need.
The federal government, state government and us as taxpayers benefit as the cost of an individual on a Medicaid waiver for assisted living is significantly less than nursing home care.
What we emphasize at Gardant is to provide residents with the Love, Compassion and Dignity they deserve in addition to the help and assistance they need. Our goal is to help each resident achieve and maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible.
To learn more about Evergreen Village at Fort Wayne, click here. To learn more about Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka, click here. To learn more about Gardant Management Solutions and the senior living, assisted living and memory care communities we operate in Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, click here.