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Boston Globe
17-07-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
What is an assisted living facility — and how does it differ from a nursing home?
What is an assisted living facility and how is it different from a nursing home? Assisted living residences are nonmedical facilities that provide older adults with housing, meals, and support for daily activities like dressing, bathing, and medication. They promote independence while offering a safety net of care. '[Assisted living] is often the next logical step in the continuum of care for adults who don't need complex medical treatment but would benefit from daily support in a setting that values independence, freedom of choice, and quality of life,' said Brian Doherty, president and CEO of Massachusetts Assisted Living. 'Assisted living also provides structure and support for individuals with cognitive impairment, memory loss, or Alzheimer's disease through specialized memory care units.' Unlike nursing homes, which provide round-the-clock care for individuals with significant medical needs, assisted living residences offer a more homelike environment. Residents typically live in private or semiprivate apartments and receive help with activities of daily living — such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and mobility. Advertisement Nursing homes are licensed and inspected by the state Department of Public Health. Assisted living residences are certified by the Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE), which does not require the same level of clinical staffing or oversight. Advertisement '[Assisted living residences are] very loosely regulated,' said Malka Young, an aging consultant and director of Allies in Aging JFS Elder Care Solutions. Young says each facility varies by the level of care that's needed. The care involves one wellness nurse, which can only provide first aid. 'The one nurse is responsible for the well being of each person in the community. They can't give injections, they can't take blood pressure, so there's not really any medical services,' she explained. What are the different types of aging services? Managed long-term care programs include: Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly ( Senior Care Options ( Aside from aging at home, options for long-term care include: Senior housing (includes public, privately-owned subsidized, and congregate and supportive housing) Continuing Care Retirement Communities are sometimes known as a life plan community, where independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care are offered. Assisted living residences provide meals, housekeeping, and help with personal care, but charge separately for additional services like medication management or assistance with bathing and memory care. Rest Homes / Residential Care Facilities are considered a healthcare facility, though they offer basic care, not skilled nursing, and are often included in MassHealth coverage. Nursing/skilled-nursing and rehabilitation facilities operate under a medical model, offering care typically covered by Medicaid or long-term care insurance and could include memory care units. How much does it cost — and who pays? The average monthly cost for assisted living in Massachusetts is nearly $10,000, or $300 a day, depending on location, room type and level of care, according to 'Each person is given an individual care plan, and sometimes you have up to one hour of care and if you need help with your medications, then that's an additional fee,' Young said. Nursing homes are more expensive, often exceeding $13,000 per month, but may be partially covered by Medicaid if the resident qualifies financially. Health insurance only covers assisted living facilities if someone has long term care insurance. 'I'll have couples come to me and they'll have a million dollars, and they think they have a lot of money, but that's really not a lot of money if someone's in their late 70s or even early 80s,' Young said. Related : Advertisement Gabriel House served a high number of low-income seniors. More than 75 percent of its residents are enrolled in Medicaid, state officials have said, and it charges significantly less than a typical assisted living facility does for private-paying patients. Built in 1964, Gabriel House had been the subject of several complaints from family members about living conditions, the Globe Subsidies also depend on potential tax credits, the median income of the community and what they offer . 'Gabriel House in Fall River was mainly for people who were on veterans benefits or MassHealth,' Young explained. 'But there's a subgroup of regular assisted livings that depended on how the building itself was financed, they're called tax credit units.' Robin Lipson, secretary of AGE, raised the possibility that facilities that heavily dependent on government housing or Medicaid payments, 'should be regulated or supported in a different way' from those that rely on private payers. Michelle Woodbrey, co-owner of 2Sisters Senior Living Advisors, serving families across New England, said assisted living facilities that support lower income seniors are rare to find and 'often don't provide high levels of care.' 'If you're on MassHealth and can't pay privately, a nursing home is typically your only option, and there are very few exceptions,' she said. Each year, Woodbrey said, more people are falling into a growing gap: they don't meet the high medical threshold for nursing home care, but can't afford assisted living or home care services. ' . . . someone can't just move into a nursing home because they're out of money. There's this group of people who fall between the cracks. Gabriel House served many of those people.' Advertisement How do you know that the one you've selected is high quality? Young suggests people consider how long staff has been there in a high-turnover job market, if there's an on-site chef , and what types of activities and length of stays are offered. 'Ask about the staff's education,' she advises. Also,some programs, will highlight they have a resident committee and they vote on what they want. Well, that means they don't have any staff or professional input.' Sarah Rahal can be reached at
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Archives: March 2025
"The new Republican-led Congress promises major changes in 'welfare'—giveaways to the relatively destitute. But the federal government is equally adept at throwing other people's money at those who haven't even a surface excuse for needing it. The recent 'Mexican bailout,' $25 billion in U.S. loan guarantees to help keep Mexico solvent so it can eventually pay off its debt, is a good example. In essence, that move aided American banks improvident enough to toss good money after bad at the Mexican government. If the new congressional regime wants to prove that they mean an end to business-as-usual, they must cut off federal cash flow to the influential as well as the marginal. But contrary to [Labor Secretary] Robert Reich, who has taken to railing against 'corporate welfare,' letting corporations keep their earnings isn't 'welfare'; giving them other taxpayers' money is." Brian Doherty "Bad Influence" "Too many of freedom's defenders are uncomfortable with earthbound humanity. They are afraid the stuff that dreams are made of can be had too easily at K Mart or Bloomingdale's. They find those dreams banal. But human life and human longings are precious. And, contrary to the caricature of liberal capitalism retailed on the nation's opinion pages, those longings include more than the desire for blue jeans and consumer electronics. Man does not, in fact, live by bread alone—at least when allowed to choose how to live. Religion, art, and science flourish best in a free society." Virginia Postrel "The Banality of Freedom?" "One of the hottest ideas in Washington is that we should retaliate against protectionist countries by raising our own import barriers against them. We will remove our restrictions only when they remove theirs, the theory goes, forcing these countries to negotiate with us to eliminate all trade barriers. 'Retaliation' is the rallying cry of a new economic nationalism that has gained support from powerful Republicans and Democrats alike. But it doesn't work." Jim Powell "Forget the Crowbar" "There is little doubt that Marxism-Leninism has long been discredited. The challenge before us is to rescue from under the rubble of its fatal misconceptions a philosophical base strong enough to see the long-mutilated nations of Central Europe emerge into Western civilization once again. For the logical leap from repudiating Marxism to defending capitalism is not apodictic." Juliana Geran Pilon "After the Fall" "Getting a wider range of opinion and a more-informative range of facts across the airwaves to American TV and radio audiences would be worthwhile for that audience and gratifying for those who have felt excluded from access to those media. A liberal bias does prevail, but, from an insider's standpoint, there are ways to get other viewpoints heard or seen. The most important consideration is the nature of the broadcast media bias: it is not primarily political. Instead, it is a bias in favor of action, hubbub, noise controversy, and familiarity in ideas. Kinetic excitement coupled with familiar slogans and premises warm the hearts of those who decide what does and what does not get air time. There's no point in offering ideas at a soporific press conference, when across the street a 'welfare rights' organization is demonstrating on behalf of another handout." David Brudnoy "How to Use the Media Before the Media Use You" "The decade has dawned with a brutal Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. With planes, tanks, 90,000 troops, and a hand-picked dictator, the Soviets are proceeding to occupy and subdue the country, despite the valiant resistance of 'rebel' groups who had been on the verge of ousting the previous Communist regime. Whatever else the invasion does, it should put to rest the naive notion of the USSR as a basically peaceful State whose foreign policy is characterized by defense of its territory and traditional sphere of interest." Robert Poole Jr. "Post-Afghanistan Foreign Policy" The post Archives: March 2025 appeared first on
Boston Globe
07-02-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Looking for a home? Cohasset has it all
CONDO FEE $946 a month BEDROOMS 2 BATHS 2 LAST SOLD FOR $502,000 in 2018 PROS This unit in historic Howe Estate — once known as Lyndermere, the 1883 Tudor mansion belonging to Civil War veteran and Gilded Age bicycle tycoon Albert Pope — boasts water views and 10-foot ceilings. The shared foyer features huge leaded glass windows and astounding woodwork. Ascend the grand staircase to this second-floor unit, where the living room includes a gas fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and ocean views. The nearby kitchen has granite counters and stainless appliances. A newer bath with a laundry closet connects to a bedroom, while the primary bedroom down the hall has an updated bath, double closets, and a private deck facing the water. Unit includes walk-up attic storage and a deeded garage spot. CONS High condo fee. Advertisement The living room includes a gas fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and ocean views. Handout Beth Tarpey, William Raveis, 781-635-7900, Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Enter Email Sign Up $1,099,000 802 JERUSALEM ROAD / COHASSET 802 JERUSALEM ROAD / COHASSET Brian Doherty Photography SQUARE FEET 2,233 LOT SIZE 0.22 acre BEDROOMS 3 BATHS 2 full, 1 half LAST SOLD FOR $830,000 in 2021 PROS Enter this remodeled 1920 Mansard Colonial — set on one of the South Shore's most famous streets — by way of a wraparound mudroom with slate tile and interior shutters. Past the living room with hardwood floors and transom windows for added light, the remodeled kitchen with dining area has honed quartz counters and island, shiplap walls, gray Shaker cabinets, and a wood-clad range hood. A glass door opens to a deck and fenced yard with shed, while a half bath nearby holds a laundry closet. An office and a sitting room with fireplace round out the first floor. Upstairs, the primary bedroom has two closets and a stylish bath with step-in shower and soaking tub. Two more bedrooms share a new bath. CONS Expect Sunday morning activity at the church across the street. A sitting room has hardwood floors and a fireplace. Brian Doherty Photography Pamela C. Bates, Coldwell Banker, 617 240-1292, Jon Gorey is a regular contributor to the Globe Magazine. Send comments to
