Suwanee, Georgia, is a thriving and vibrant city of about 20,000 souls located 15 minutes from Georgia’s beautiful Lake Lanier. Living the lake life with close amenities such as great restaurants, theaters, houses of worship, museums, and shopping around historic Old Town Suwanee makes it one of Georgia’s best cities for retirees. For many, choosing to move to an assisted living community makes living in Suwanee all the better.
Here are 10 frequently asked questions to consider before making your move.
1. What is assisted living?
An assisted living community provides help with some of the basics of daily living. Things like bathing and dressing, meal preparation, safely keeping up with medications, and housekeeping are part of the support system seniors find in an assisted living community. Even your laundry is managed by your assisted living community staff. Active seniors who just need a little extra help usually find assisted living communities to be a great option for getting the most out of their retirement years.
2. How do assisted living communities compare to nursing homes?
Nursing homes support seniors who can no longer live independently, while assisted living communities are built expressly to support active lifestyles.
In a nursing home, residents pay for round-the-clock medical attention. Most who choose this option are sick, far less active in daily living, and need skilled care. Instead of independent apartments, many nursing home residents share a room to keep costs low. The look and feel of many nursing homes lean more toward an institutional setting rather than the resort-style communities many assisted living communities offer.
3. What kind of activities do assisted living communities offer?
The whole point of assisted living is getting the most out of your retirement! Assisted living communities hire concierges to plan a full calendar of activities for their residents. Take a pottery class or join a card game. Enjoy group outings to a museum one week, and a shopping trip the next. There are many health and wellness activities to keep you moving. You will be busy!
4. What housing options are available?
Most communities have studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments available. Each comes with its own bathroom, kitchenette area, small refrigerator, and sink. You’ll also never have to worry about maintenance or upkeep, which is taken care of by the community.
5. Are the apartments furnished?
No. Think of your new place as a blank canvas. You can decorate according to your tastes and desires. Check this website for a planning tool in the floor plan section that will help you visualize furnishing your new space.
6. What does it cost?
The cost of an assisted living community can vary greatly depending on your unique situation. It’s important to sit down and talk face to face with a senior care counselor to get accurate estimates for your monthly budget. Other cost variables include the size of the living space and the type of extra services you may require. You may also want to ask about the cost of field trips and transportation needs over and above what your community may offer. Here’s an easy-to-use tool for comparing the cost of senior living to the cost of living at home.
7. Is there any financial assistance available to help me with costs?
Though Medicare does not pay for assisted living, there are options. There are veterans’ benefits available for some families. Other retirees may have long-term care insurance policies that can help with the cost. Make sure you ask your senior care counselor for any other resources that may be available.
8. Are any of the costs of assisted living tax-deductible?
Some of your assisted living care costs may be tax-deductible depending on your situation. See what the IRS says about deducting medical and dental expenses.
9. Can I have guests stay overnight?
You can have guests stay over in your apartment, and many communities make guest rooms available for rent as well.
10. Can I have pets in my assisted living community?
Most communities allow pets. It’s always wise to check with each assisted living community for any unique restrictions on this policy. Some may exclude certain types of pets or certain breeds of dogs and cats, or may have size and weight restrictions.
Living the good life depends on making the right choices for you and your unique situation. Get the answers and advice you need with a visit to Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek and talk personally with one of our senior care counselors. They are uniquely trained to help you and yours make great choices for living in one of the best cities in Georgia.
