AAHSA FutureAge Sept/Oct 2010 - 8

“The most unusual request I received was for help taking care of 100 chickens,” she says. Once the program makes a match, the member and service provider deal directly with each other. Both sign general contracts with the At Home program limiting liability.

That said, an important part of the At Home program is its careful screening of service providers. The staff conducts extensive reference checks and ensure all providers are licensed and insured. If members have a complaint about a service provider, the program works to resolve it. Another

Serving Special Needs Families

“Overall, our residents have received the adult children very warmly—especially in residential living,” Executive Director Laura Roy said. “They’re treated like any other resident and take part in activities like choir and volunteering.” She credits the resident leadership with setting a tone of inclusiveness. However, Roy has received some pushback in personal care, where personalities don’t always mesh in close quarters. The community is considering creating a small group home on campus for younger people with developmental disabilities. The Village at Brookwood, in Burlington, N.C., is another community that has accommodated special needs families. Similar to Passavant, The Village considers each situation individually. Its life care contract includes language stating that individuals must be at least 65 to access the benefit. If younger people move through the continuum, they pay market rates until reaching age 65. Currently, the community is home to an older couple and their

Passavant Retirement Community

57-year-old autistic son. The son lives in a separate apartment and is employed by dining services. “He’s really blossomed since moving here, because he has the opportunity to live and socialize on his own,” says Dan Cuthriell, executive director. “His parents know, when they’re gone, he’ll be able to continue living a productive life surrounded by people who care about him.”

Passavant Retirement Community welcomes residents with dependent children, pending the results of an assessment of the parents’ ability to care for the dependent adult. Passavant also requires each family to have a plan for when the parents can no longer be caregivers.

Some CCRCs are fielding inquiries from prospective residents who want to move in with adult dependent children. Serving families with special needs can be an extension of an organization’s mission, but requires a well-thought-out policy. Passavant Retirement Community, in Zelienople, Pa., gets about four of these requests a year. Typically, the parents are healthy and plan to live with their child in residential living. The community assesses whether the parents can safely care for the individual—and if he or she would be disruptive to other residents. If everything checks out, the family signs an addendum to the residential contract. Passavant also requires each family to have a plan for when the parents can no longer be caregivers. If their intention is for the person to move through Passavant’s continuum, the community uses actuarial software to make sure it’s financially feasible and requires that guardianship be established for developmentally disabled dependents. Passavant does not offer life care contracts, so residents pay for services as needed.
The Village at Brookwood

Adult children of residents at The Village at Brookwood can have their own apartments and pay market rates until reaching age 65.

futureAge | September/October 2010

AAHSA FutureAge Sept/Oct 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AAHSA FutureAge Sept/Oct 2010