How boutique assisted living homes can offer personalized care

SCOTTSDALE, AZ (InvestigateTV) — Families making decisions about assisted living care for their loved ones are seeing more facilities advertise a boutique hotel-style feel with more personalized care.

Boutique-style homes are typically small, with 10 residents or less.

Some are high-end with concierge services and tailored activities like art classes and music performances. Others are more low-key, with a focus on family-style meals and comfort.

Nestled in a neighborhood, one home is a new chapter for several seniors. There are in-home group exercises and fresh-baked cookies on demand.

“That’s the way we want it to feel like home. This is their home,” Wanda Forden said.

Forden created New Vision Assisted Living when she saw a need to care for people like her uncle, who lives there. It’s licensed for 10 people. Rooms are private with comfortable furniture, and two live-in employees are ready to help 24/7.

“Do you think this is the future of assisted living?” Campbell asked. “Yes. Why? Because it’s more personalized,” Forden said.

David Voepel is the CEO of the Arizona Health Care Association. He said boutique or smaller scale assisted living homes can be great options.

In Arizona, there are more than 3,000 licensed assisted living facilities. About 1,800 of them are 10 beds or less.

“A group home might specialize in memory care. A center, 11 beds or more, might specialize in memory care but also offer more activities. A group home might center on certain activities,” Voepel said. “It’s based on more personalized services, so it depends on what you need.”

Doing your research

Voepel said that places are better or worse than others, but it’s important to do your research.

“When you’re looking at assisted living, the first thing that’s always helpful is how are you going to pay for it?” Voepel said.

Then figure out the location that works best for you and your family and for the services you need.

“The biggest thing is you’ve got to go take a visit,” Voepel said. “You have to go check them out, and you have to look and see what the culture is like.”

Ask about staffing, check the safety of the building and talk to the people who live there.

“What’s the cost difference for something like this that is more personalized and on such a smaller scale?” reporter Susan Campbell asked.

“Starts at $5,500 but we also work with people that can’t afford it. I think that’s important too,” Forden said. “For me, it’s more about the service than dollars.”

Forden said neighbors are welcoming of the assisted living homes.

“One of the ladies across the street, she said you know what, I already told my children, when I get sick or I get dementia or something like that, all they have to do is roll me right across the street,” Forden said.