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What You Should Know About Moving to a Senior Living Community

You may have been thinking about a move to assisted living, memory care or enhanced care suites or skilled nursing. You may be starting to check into the possibilities, or you may have been planning a move for a while. Cassia wants you to know we are accepting new residents in assisted living, memory care and enhanced care suites if your needs have recently increased.

If you have questions about how we are helping residents and staff stay safe and healthy, we have the answers. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have or to look over our preventative measures and precautions to learn more.

If your needs have increased and you put a hold on your plans, you may be wondering how long you will have to wait before moving. While navigating change is difficult even at the best of times, the reasons you want to move to a care community likely haven’t changed. That’s why we want to be sure you know as much as you can about how Cassia can help you.

Bringing what you need to your doorstep

After weeks of sheltering at home, you may be concerned about whether you’ll run out of supplies or food—and how to navigate shopping. You may be depending on family, neighbors or friends who are busy and stressed. Seeing a doctor or going to the dentist can also be daunting at this time—and what if you need emergency repairs?

Cassia can take care of all these issues and more. Our attentive staff are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Dining, maintenance, and on-site health care are easily accessible, too. Cassia also utilizes strict sanitary and medical protocols to ensure the health and safety of those we serve—and has done so long before the Coronavirus became a concern.

Planning for a move

There are several steps you can take now to make sure you are ready when the time is right to make a move:

• Create a checklist to compare communities. We recommend visiting websites, taking virtual tours, reading social media posts, attending virtual live events, checking out brochures and speaking directly with staff. Creating a checklist of what you are looking for will allow you to ask the right questions and write down the pros and cons of each care community. Share thoughts with your family members and don’t forget to compare costs! Use our cost calculator to make comparisons easier.
• Begin making connections with your chosen community members. Call staff and ask if there are neighbors who would be willing to speak with you by phone or video meetings. Ask about online groups or committees so you can participate. Find a realtor and begin the process of selling your home. Talk with moving planners and ask about special benefits that are available to you before you move.
• Downsize and diminish clutter. Figure out what you no longer want or need and either donate or sell it, recycle or toss it out. Look at your floor plan and decide where you want to put furniture. Order new rugs or other decorations online.
• Talk to your financial planner. He or she can help discuss how best to manage your move financially, and if there should be any changes to your stocks, bonds and money-market funds.
• Choose a Power of Attorney and Health Care Representative. It is always wise to designate someone you trust to represent your wishes in case you are not able to do so. Be sure to use the correct forms, which can be obtained online, and print them out. If they require notarization, that can usually be obtained at your local bank or another municipal office.

As more restrictions are lifted and you transition to a new but more normalized life style, you will be able to find much more support, convenience and enjoyment with new neighbors and friends. You and your family will also be able to have more peace of mind, while adventures, opportunities and new friendships await you.

We suspect you’ll wish you had moved sooner—as many of our residents do.

Of course, we understand change is never easy—which is why we are here to help. We want to offer you a resource full of options and ideas—whether you choose our community or not.

If you have questions, need support or just want to talk through some options, please contact Elizabeth Libbon at Emerald Crest, Elizabeth.Libbon@cassialife.org or call 612-709-2851.

Thank you so much to all of our volunteers and donors who make all of the work we do at Cassia possible. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and needed to ensure we are able to fulfill our mission.

At Emerald Crest, we offer a deep knowledge of memory care in a specialized assisted living setting for seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia-related conditions. We encourage you to contact us directly with any questions or request a tour. For tours and general information, please contact Elizabeth Wendel at 952-908-2215.

Emerald Crest by Cassia provides memory care in a unique environment, specifically designed to support those with cognitive issues. Utilizing this exceptional model of care, individuals with dementia, Alzheimer’s and related conditions can flourish in positive relationships and participation in meaningful activities. Memory care is offered in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul area with communities in four convenient locations: Shakopee, Burnsville, Minnetonka and Victoria, MN.