Vermont Senior Living

In the state of Vermont, there are 20 synagogues, with active Jewish congregations dotted across the state, and each of those have a number of assisted living centers in close proximity. For Jews that have decided to make the transition to assisted living, these will offer a great place to start the search. In fact, seniors may even find great assisted living facilities right in their own communities so they can remain active in the community where they are already members.

The majority of Jewish communities are based in Burlington, VT, where there are dozens of assisted living centers available. Not all are well rated but there are enough in this community, with solid reputations, to make it well worth exploring. Ethan Allen Residences is one that stands out in the crowd, with a 4.5-star rating. This is part of a 3-center group of assisted living facilities based here and in Bristol and Montpelier, VT. All 3 locations are in easy reach of local synagogues.

For something a bit more rural, seniors can check out Copley Woodlands, set in picturesque Stowe, VT, that is also in easy reach of a synagogue and active Jewish community. This assisted living center has also earned a solid 4.5-stars. This is more of a retirement community than an assisted living center, but they do offer a wide range of care options that can meet the needs of most seniors.

Vermont isn’t offering much in the way of Jewish assisted living centers, but it does have a strong Jewish presence and lots of opportunities for finding both physical and spiritual care.

Cost of Jewish Assisted Living in Vermont

There is one fairly large difference with Jewish assisted living in Vermont, when compared to the rest of the country, and that’s price. The average monthly rate in the US is $4,000 but in Vermont, that jumps to more the $5,300 per month, and that is fairly consistent across the state. For seniors that have spent a lifetime in Vermont, this won’t be much of a surprise, but it could prove to be a bit of a budget buster for some. Wander the state and dig into the options and there is a decent chance that there are others with rates that are more budget friendly.

Jewish Assisted Living Communities in Vermont - Amenities

Being a faithful Jewish isn’t a passive way of life. It isn’t just attending a weekly Shabbat service or taking part in a holiday worship program. It is a commitment to a way of life that is focused on building a personal relationship with God, and to reach that goal, there is study, there is prayer, and there is an unfaltering commitment to living as God has prescribed.

For faithful Jewish seniors, the very best option would be to settle into a Jewish assisted living facility where faithful life is woven into the fabric of the residence. In the absence of such living centers, seniors will have to settle on the next best option and find an assisted living center that offers easy access to a local Jewish community.

Jewish Retirement Communities in Vermont - Religious Amenities

Faithful seniors will be members of a Jewish congregation today and that means their first and best option will be to look for an assisted living center that is close by. That allows them to remain active in the community that they are already comfortable but there is more. Also, and because they are local to the synagogue, it is very possible that there will be other Jewish residents ready to welcome new residents into their faithful community.

By staying local, seniors will also be able to maintained their relationship with their Rabbi and that Rabbi may already provide support services to others in the local assisted living centers. It is one more way that seniors can stay connected to their faith while making the entire transition process far less stressful.

The third benefit in staying local is staying close to the many programs that are designed to help senior help others while working to atone for their failures in faith. We all do fail on occasion but God provides a way back. Atonement allows the faithful to repent and return to God’s good graces and the local community often helps in this process.

Jews are expected to adhere to kosher dining. Living independently, they will have prepared their meals with certified kosher ingredients without too much trouble. In an assisted living facility, they can do the same but it impacts one of the great advantages of these living centers where great meals are offered 3 times a day, without the fuss and muss of cooking. As an alternative, seniors can reach out to the local community in search of kosher catering, especially during the holidays and work with the culinary team in the assisted living facility to introduce more kosher friendly selections to their menus.

Jewish Assisted Living in Vermont - General Amenities

Helping seniors stay on the right path are the caregivers and the Assisted Daily Living care, (ADL’s), they provide. It starts with helping seniors stay confidently mobile. Then there is direct help with bathing, dressing and grooming. There may be help using the toilet or at least providing remainder that help counter the effects of incontinence. For those with limited muscle control, these care givers will help seniors eat too. Medications are managed and health is monitored so outcomes and long-term health is improved.

Supporting the care team are teams of housekeeping and maintenance folks that help relieve seniors from any worry about performing daily tasks. Even personal laundry is done, and seniors will never again need to worry about climbing a ladder to change a lightbulb, mowing the lawn or shoveling snow.

There are illnesses that require more than these basics. This is especially true for those retirees dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. For these seniors, there is memory care that brings some special protections and therapies to each of them. The protection comes in the form of more secure spaces that will help keep these seniors from wandering into trouble. The therapies will help them reconnect with lost memories through the use of things like music, scents, and pets. Together, this memory care helps these seniors reconnect and stay connected in more meaningful ways.

Everyone enjoys three meals a day, and these are nothing like hospital food or cafeteria fare. These are professionally prepared dishes, drawn from menus that are chock full of favorites. The overall meal plan is nutritionally balanced and augmented by healthy all-day snacks.

Apartments in assisted living centers provide seniors with their own personal space, with various designs and sizes to choose from. Most assisted living facilities will offer studio suites and one-bedroom apartments. Most will also offer semi-private suites that help tight budgets stretch further. In a few instances, there are two-bedroom apartments as well. These are designed to be shared by a couple of family members or close companions, where each has their own bedroom and some shared living space, and this help both save, compared to the cost of two one-bedroom apartments.

Vermont offers some very interesting choices for assisted living facilities and for staying close to Jewish communities.