New York Assisted Living

Catholic assisted living facilities are alive, well and plentiful across New York State. They are just a bit tough to find among the several hundred other assisted living centers that are not based on any specific faith. Continue reading and we will share some advice on how best to sort through the senior living options in NY.

Cost of Catholic Assisted Living in New York

The cost for all assisted living facilities are not cheap in many parts of the state. While the national average of monthly rates sits at around $4,000, the New York average rises to just shy of $7,000 per month. There are locations like Syracuse and Utica where rates are very close to the national average but then there is Utica, where the monthly average is $7,100 per month. That represents a swing in rates of more than $3,000 so it will require some shopping around if seniors are looking for budget stretching options for their Catholic assisted living needs.

Catholic Assisted Living Communities in New York - Amenities

With so many to choose from the first thing we would normally recommend would be to sort out the Catholic assisted living facilities from all others based on their names. In New York, that doesn’t work as well as it does elsewhere but it’s still a good way to take a rough cut at this. St. Joseph’s Senior Assisted Living is a good example of a name that accurately represents the faith of this facility. At the same time, ArchCare, which is most definitely Catholic is actually a nursing home rather than an assisted living facility.

So, the next best way to identify Catholic assisted living facilities is to search those religious orders, like the Carmelite Nuns and the Order of Franciscans to find those facilities across the state that they are running. For example, there are four homes in the state that are run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. Obviously, these will be Catholic assisted living facilities.

Again though, this won’t be foolproof so visit the sites or ask for a copy of their monthly calendar of activities and look to see if the Eucharistic mass is offered every day or only once a week. If daily, this will be a Catholic assisted living facility in its truest sense. If it does not appear on the calendar or is only schedule once a week, that facility’s commitment to the faith may be questionable.

Finally, go to your parish church or diocese office and ask for recommendations. They will undoubtedly have a list of all types of Catholic assisted living facilities in their area and will probably be able to offer advice on the specific services offered by each.

Catholic Retirement Communities in New York - Religious Amenities

We commonly refer to Catholic Assisted Living Facilities as facilities, but the best of these are really homes where families gather, where friendships are developed and where care is delivered with a measure of loving compassion that is truly hard to match in any non-faith assisted living center. So, the first and most important amenity is the Homes, in its entirety, meaning the building, the staff and the residents all coming together to great and amazing whole.

The heart of these Catholic assisted living facilities is the chapel. This is where faith comes fully into focus for both residents and staff during daily masses, when confessions are heard, and when religious counseling is offered. These chapels are often an extension of a local parish and services are typically offered by member of that local parish church.

These Catholic assisted living facilities will most likely have a chaplain on staff to offer spiritual care 24/7 and while they are present in other facilities as well, in a Catholic assisted living center they will be ordained in the church and dedicated to the Catholic faith.

Finally, Catholic assisted living homes add activities to normal schedules found in most other homes by including bible studies and other faith-based programs that help seniors strengthen their faith in God and his son Jesus.

Catholic Retirement Communities in New York - General Amenities

It is said that there are only two things in life that are certain; death and taxes. Notice that there is nothing in there about getting old. There is no rule that says seniors must give in to the typical aches and pains that come with aging and accept a boring and sedentary life. There are simply no limits to what seniors can accomplish if the simply refuse to go quietly into the night. Just look at President Bush as an example. At age 90 and practically confined to a wheelchair, he went skydiving for his birthday present to himself. That is attitude with a capital “A” and every senior has that same potential to live actively.

To do that though often requires a helping hand and that is what life in an assisted living facility is all about. These are care centers where staff stands ready to assist with all of the most basic daily personal care tasks every senior needs to accomplish in order to feel whole. This is known as Assisted Daily Living care and it includes helping seniors get up and around. It involves helping them bathe, groom and dress. It offers a helping hand to eat comfortably and, this care offers reminders about medications and more that help make life stress free.

These assisted living communities in New York also take care of mundane tasks like cleaning, doing laundry and maintaining the home, both inside and out. Seniors need worry about nothing more than a bit of occasional dusting to live happily in these facilities.

These assisted living facilities also offer a full range of meals, that are drawn from great menus that are healthy, and that are prepared by pro chefs so they taste wonderful too. Most assisted living centers either have a dietician on staff or consultant with one so every senior can count on dishes that are in tune with their medical requirements as well. Meals are enhanced by all day snacks too, so no one goes hungry or runs out of energy when there are so many good things happening throughout the day.

Activities make each day a new and exciting adventure, with things like arts and crafts programs, woodworking shops, fitness programs, educational opportunities, a variety of entertainment, games, and social event. These are in additional to the religious programs a Catholic assisted living facility adds.

Privacy isn’t sacrificed when senior decide to settle into an assisted living facility. To the contrary, it is facilitated with a combination of apartment types and semi-private rooms. These are personal spaces that seniors can retreat to when they just need a bit of peace and quiet, want to enjoy some personal time with a coffee and the morning paper, or maybe just want to curl up with a good book or watch their favorite TV shows.

Catholic assisted living facilities in New York offer a wealth of options. Seniors should find the most suitable Catholic Assisted Living facilities and know exactly what to expect from them.