Answers to Questions to About Assisted Living in General
What are the requirements for admission to Assisted Living vs. Health Care or Independent Living?
Contact the Marketing Office at 804-474-1816.
o The admission process at the Hermitage includes:
§ Complete an application. This will include general information about the person and financial information. Include copies of power of attorney, advanced directive such as a living will and medical power of attorney documents. Also include supporting financial documents.
§ Once applications are approved,
§ Physical exam completed within 30 days prior to admission
§ A nurse
and social worker do an assessment to determine appropriate
level of care (Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care,
Health care).
· How are Assisted Living communities licensed?
o Assisted
Living communities are licensed through the Department of Social
Services. In addition to being licensed by the DSS, The
Hermitage is fully accredited by the EAGLE Accreditation
Commission, The Continuing
Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC) and the Commission on
Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
· What assisted living issues should I be aware of?
o Different retirement communities may define “Assisted Living” differently -- make sure any senior living community you consider matches your understanding. You should also be aware of how the community plans to provide the assistance you require as your needs change. And perhaps most important, you should be aware of what things are important to you in order to feel independent -- driving a car? Preparing meals or snacks? Entertaining friends? Getting out into the community?
o Many
people find themselves at a time of life when their ability to
drive and connect with friends and families is diminished. This
frequently leads to depression, poor eating habits, isolation,
and other problems that reduce their quality of life. Assisted
living at The Hermitage is designed to combat this danger by
providing programs and activities that help residents connect
with the greater community and enjoy a richer social and mental
life. Many residents find that not only does their physical
health improve on entering the Hermitage, but their emotional
and mental health improves as well.
· How do I choose an assisted living community that is right for my loved one?
o Most people prioritize quality of care, community atmosphere and amenities, and convenience of location.
o When visiting an assisted community look for things such as the residents’ overall appearance -- Do they appear well-kept and happy? Is the staff friendly? What does the menu look like — lots of options? What type of activities are there for the residents to participate? Is there a high rate of staff turnover? What is the staff to resident ratio?
o Talk to the residents about their overall satisfaction with their living arrangement.
o The Hermitage is licensed by the Department of Social Services and the Virginia Health Department. Visit their websites.
o Our
warm, homey atmosphere is frequently cited as the first thing
people notice about our community, along with our convenient
neighborhood location. In the heart of Richmond’s historic
Ginter Park, The Hermitage is minutes away from the interstate,
world-class shopping, and cultural activities.
· How will we know when it’s right to move ourselves or our loved one into an assisted living residence?
o Typically, family members will notice signs of a slow decline, such as, and including: memory issues, bills going unpaid, empty refrigerator, leaving the stove on, difficulty with word retrieval and loneliness. Or a stroke or heart attack makes keeping up a home increasingly difficult. Another turning point is when their ability to drive and connect with friends and families is diminished. Family and friends notice signs of depression, poor eating habits, isolation, and other problems that reduce the quality of life.
o The
Hermitage staff is skilled at helping residents and family
members determine when to move from their own home, another
community, or Independent Living within the Hermitage, to
Assisted Living. Before that decision is made, a qualified
staff person will visit with the potential resident to conduct
an assessment that will determine the level of service that is
required.
· What if I have an emergency or need help in my apartment?
o Each
apartment at The Hermitage is equipped with an emergency call
system in each room, including in the bathrooms. In addition,
The Hermitage has a comprehensive, resident-based security
system that can identify each resident by name and location
anywhere in our community. Each resident carries a special
pendent that connects electronically to our beeper system. If
an emergency arises, the resident presses the button on their
pendent, and their location and identity is immediately
identified. A nurse or nurses will immediately go to that
location. Staff members, including nurses and medical
professionals, are on-site 24 hours a day, ready to provide help
and assistance.
· Do you have a wellness program?
o The
Hermitage is committed to enhancing our retirement community
residents’ quality of life in every way. Our programming is
designed and run by licensed Social Workers, Certified
Therapeutic Recreation Specialists, Board Certified Music
Therapists, and other professionals dedicated providing holistic
care for our residents. Daily offerings include balance and
mobility sessions, healthy eating choices, water aerobics,
mental-sharpening sessions, bible studies, craft workshops,
recreation, and physical strengthening activities.
· How do you determine my level of care?
o Finding
the appropriate level of care for you is a key ingredient in
enhancing your quality of life. At The Hermitage, each resident
is an active participant in the team that assesses and monitors
their care level. Decisions are made with ongoing input from
residents, family members, physical and occupational therapists,
healthcare professionals, and other key staff members. A
formalized process uses multiple evaluation tools to make sure
decisions are in the best interests of our residents.
· Do you offer a rehabilitation program?
o The
Hermitage offers full rehabilitation services on site, with
licensed physical, occupational, and speech therapists. In
addition, transportation is offered to outside rehabilitation
service providers when that is in the best interest of our
residents.
· What types of supplemental services do many Assisted Living communities offer?
o Because the variety of supplemental services offered by Assisted Living communities can vary so widely, it is important to ask lots of questions as you investigate each community. The Hermitage offers a full range of supplemental services, including:
§ Onsite salon and barber shop
§ Art and craft studio and instruction
§ Full range of exercise and healthy living programs, including water aerobics
§ Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy clinic on-site
§ Concerts and entertainment events in our Social Hall
§ Cultural outings to plays, concerts & museums
§ Shopping excursions to grocery stores, area malls, and other locations
§ Transportation to medical appointments
§ Community gardens with raised planting beds
§ Community
chaplain with weekly chapel services, bible studies, and
fellowship groups
· Does the retirement community provide easy access to recreational opportunities?
o The
Hermitage’s central location makes it easy to get to Richmond’s
many recreational opportunities. Regular visits to museums,
concerts, parks, shopping and more are provided by our
fully-accessible Hermitage bus. We also provide days in the
country and other outings and day trips. And of course, the
area’s recreational opportunities are close by for residents who
want to drive themselves or with a friend.
· Is the Assisted Living facility convenient for frequent visits by family and friends?
o The
Hermitage is located just off Interstate 64, one exit away from
Interstate 95, so it is easy to reach from all parts of Richmond
and the surrounding area. You’ll have your own spacious
apartment or suite to entertain your family and friends, or you
can use any of our many beautifully decorated sunrooms,
gathering rooms, and common spaces. Our central location is
near many restaurants, or you can enjoy delicious meals together
in our bright and airy Dining Room, or prepare something to eat
in your own kitchenette.
· Is the community convenient to medical centers, shopping, places of worship and other services?
o Our
convenient location makes visits to community services easy. We
provide transportation to medical appointments and shopping
areas. In addition, area churches and synagogs provide
transportation to and from their services. In addition, the Via
Health Center is fully staffed with medical professionals,
including a staff physician. And our beautiful chapel, with
inspiring stained glass windows, offers weekly worship
opportunities.
· Is the community convenient to cultural attractions (museums, theaters, concert halls, gardens, historic sites, etc.)?
o From our
Ginter Park neighborhood, it’s a short drive to the Virginia
Museum and Virginia Historical Society, Science Museum of
Virginia, The Diamond baseball park, Downtown theaters and
concert halls, and the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. And of
course, with three major universities in town, there are always
many enrichment options available to our residents. In
addition, cultural events are regularly scheduled on site in our
Social Hall.
· Is the community convenient to area transportation (public transportation, airports, highways, etc.)?
o The
Hermitage is conveniently located near both Interstate 64 and
Interstate 95. Richmond International Airport is just 15
minutes by car, and the train station and bus terminal are also
close by. In addition, two city bus stops are located adjacent
to our campus. And of course, The Hermitage has its own
fully-accessible bus, van, and car to meet our residents’
transportation needs.
· Does the community provide services such as housekeeping, maintenance, concierge assistance and scheduled transportation?
o As a full-service, continuing care retirement community, The Hermitage offers a complete array of services at no additional charge, including:
§ Housekeeping
§ Linen service
§ Personal laundry
§ Meals
§ Recreational and healthy living activities
§ Scheduled transportation to shopping and cultural activities
§ Transportation to medical appointments
§ Emergency assistance pendant
§ On-site convenience shop
§ Full-time receptionist
§ Library and resource room
§ Exercise
room
· Are there other conveniences available on site if you wish to pay for them (for example, dry cleaning pickup, salon services, etc.)?
o The
Hermitage offers many additional services on site for our
residents’ convenience. A full-service beauty salon and
barbershop is located within our building, along with dry
cleaning pickup, gift shop and convenience store, visiting
podiatrist, and escort services to appointments.
· Does the community provide a full calendar of activities for residents?
o Every day
brings a wide variety of activities for residents of The
Hermitage, with customized calendars for
Assisted Living,
Health Services, and
McGuire Park memory care
community.
· Does the community offer (or enable access to) a continuum of care, should a need arise in the future?
o The Hermitage in Richmond is a continuing care retirement community, which means that we receive residents in Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Health Care through the Via Health Center. In addition, we offer a designated memory care community in our McGuire Park wing. Our philosophy of care focuses on the dignity of our residents at every level of ability.
