Do you have 24 hour awake staff?
Yes.  Many residents have needs in the middle of the night, and we feel it’s critical to have a caregiver available to them should they need help.  This is an important question to ask any home you are considering, as many homes in our community allow their caregivers to sleep at night.

How long have your caregivers worked for you?
We believe that our caregivers have the hardest job in the world and deserve the utmost respect for loving and caring for our residents as they would their own parents.  We consider ourselves one big family.  Maybe that’s why we have very little turn over.  As far as numbers go, of our current group of 22 caregivers, 4 have been with us less than 1 year, 7 between 1 - 3 years, 7 between 3 - 6 years and 4 over 7 years. 

What training has your staff had?
All of our caregivers are required to complete a seventy hour caregiver certification program within six months of being hired in addition to twelve hours of continuing education per year.  They are also required to be certified in CPR and First Aid and renew those certifications every other year.
           

How long have you been in business?
Jana has been caring for the elderly in various settings since 1983.  We opened our first assisted living home in 1998.

What is your background?
Jana is a licensed, clinical social worker working specifically with the elderly since 1983.  She received her Master’s degree in Social Work from University of Arizona.  Peter has been operating the company since it’s inception in 1998.  We have three children and live in Scottsdale, about a mile from all three of our care homes.

Do you have references available?
Many.  Feel free to contact us and we would be happy to send you a long list of past and present clients that you may contact. In the meantime, please read our testimonials!

What are your monthly rates and what do they include?
Our semi-private rooms are $2,750 per month and our private rooms begin at $3,200 per month currently. These rates include all meals, housekeeping, laundry service, activities and of course any and all help the resident needs to live their daily life 24 hours a day.  While standard practice in our industry is to quote base rates and then increase them based on the individual care needs of the resident, we don’t subscribe to that practice. Our rates depend simply on the size of the room we have available and whether or not it has private bathroom. Only in extreme cases where we have to hire additional staff due to the needs of a specific resident would it be necessary to increase the base rate of that resident. 

Are there any additional fees on top of the monthly fee?
The only additional costs are $20 for an annual TB test and $25 service plans that the law requires be prepared by a registered nurse on a quarterly basis as well as medication, incontinence products and food supplements (i.e. Ensure) should the resident require them.  In addition, we make available home visiting beauticians, podiatrists, chiropractors, etc, and should you wish to use them, their fees would also be your responsibility.

Do you accept long term care insurance?
Yes!  The insurance company will need us to fill out some paperwork upfront and possibly on a monthly basis as well, which we will be more than happy to do.

Do you accept ALTCS residents?
The one word answer is – possibly.  The Arizona Long Term Care System is a very confusing subject.  Rather than try to explain it here, call Peter and he will be happy to explain how ALTCS works and in what situations we can accept it.

Do you accept residents with special needs?
We are experienced caring for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, insulin dependent diabetes, incontinence and catheters, as well as residents on oxygen, feeding tubes and many forms of special diets, including renal, pureed, and soft mechanical. In addition, at any given moment, we are caring for 5-6 residents on hospice.

Can you provide respite and/or day care?
Absolutely.  Over the years we have cared for many people on a respite, daily or even hourly basis. Perhaps they were recovering from an illness or operation, or their primary caregiver was ill, had to work or simply needed some R & R.  Don’t hesitate to call; we would be happy to discuss your specific needs.

What types of meals do you serve?
The simple answer is…whatever our residents like.  Food is an incredibly important issue for the elderly; in the time of their lives when they have lost so much, they look so forward to a good meal. Therefore, we are constantly seeking our residents’ input into menu selections while at the same time always striving to maintain balance and healthfulness by using fresh fruits, meats & vegetables.   Over the years, we’ve tried to introduce various types of ethnic and unusual items, but 9 times out 10 their favorites always come back to classic American cuisine.  Take a look at one of our weekly menus here.

Do you have activities for the residents?
We have a full time activities director who spends time in each of our homes every day.  The residents tell her the things they like to do, so her typical week will include group activities such as exercise, board games, and arts and crafts, as well as individual things as simple as taking walks, playing cards, doing needlepoint or just having quiet conversations with those residents who prefer one on one attention.  We have live musicians in all of our homes a minimum of once a week, and we schedule periodic trips in small groups to the mall, out to lunch, to the movies, etc for those who are able and wish to go.  We have groups of local volunteers who like to bring goodies from to time to time and visit with the residents.  And almost every night after dinner we pop some popcorn and show a movie on the big screen in the living room!  Feel free to take a look at one of our monthly activity calendars.

Is there a house doctor?
According the Arizona Bill of Residents Rights, residents are allowed to choose their own physicians, and therefore we do not have a specific primary care physician on call for all of our residents.  There are however a handful of physicians in the community who make “house calls” their primary practice and a variety of other services, such as mobile x-ray and laboratory have sprung up to support them.  The majority of our residents and their families use these doctors for the convenience they provide. We can furnish you with a list of those we feel do a good job.

Are you governed by any state or local agency?
Each of our homes is licensed by The Arizona Department of Health Services for a maximum of 10 residents.  

Do your homes have open visiting hours?
Absolutely.  Please visit whenever and as often as you can.  Understand though that if you come before 10AM, there may be some dishes in the sink and a few beds still unmade

Are residents allowed to bring their own furniture and furnishings?  Hang pictures on the walls?
Not only are they allowed to, we strongly encourage it. Our residents aren’t guests in our home. Our home IS their home, and we want them to feel as comfortable as possible.  But don’t worry; if you need us to provide furniture, we’ll take care of it.

Can residents bring their pets?
We love animals, believe strongly in pet therapy and absolutely hate to separate people from their pets.  As long as the animal doesn’t pose a safety risk, we can make it work.

What is the nearest hospital to your homes?
Mayo Hospital, Scottsdale Healthcare Shea & Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak are all within 10 minutes of all of our homes.

Do all of your rooms have cable and telephone outlets?
Yep!

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