This week, I am going to be brief.  I hung out with a friend this week and got to spend time with her 85 year old father.  I got to pay him a visit the assisted living facility where he “hangs his hat” in Farmington, CT.

There were a few things that jumped out at me during my visit. 

The first thing is that the facility was pretty secure.  Residents had to sign out when leaving the property with a family member then sign back in upon their return.  Guests, likewise, had to complete the drill when they were visiting for any extended period of time.

I also noticed that the ratio of women to men was really significant.  When my grandfather was in a nursing home the ratio was somewhere around 5 to 1.  At this facility, the ratio was well over 10 to 1. 

We asked how the meals were and he said that they were “pretty darn good” and the variety is excellent.  The one thing that I remember hearing from my grandfathers (both received facility-based care) was how “lousy” the food was and that I had better when I was in the Army.  Now, I believe that to be a bit of exaggeration on my grandfathers’ part, but having decent meals is always a good thing.

And, holy smokes, they had as many daily activities scheduled as what you find on a cruise ship.  The daily agenda scrolled on monitors at every hallway intersection for residents and their guests.  I was happy to see that the residents weren’t left to stagnate.

In my brief visit, I walked away with a better perspective of what amenities the assisted living facility a mere 5 minute drive from my residence offers.  Frankly, I was very surprised (in a good way).

I still don’t ever want to receive care in a facility – EVER.  But, seeing what was provided did improve my perspective. 

And, remember, having a funded plan can help you avoid facility-based care.  Maybe not completely, but it might be able to delay the situation from happening.

To learn more about some of the planning tools from OneAmerica Financial, you can contact my internal Kelley Hilliard directly at (844) 623-4251 or via email at kelleyhilliard.isp@oneamerica.com