Liz Healy (Host): Hello listeners, and thanks for tuning
in to the Well Within Reach podcast brought to you by Riverside Healthcare. I'm
your host Liz Anrou, and joining me today is Peg Spear, who's the Marketing
Manager with Riverside Senior Life Communities. Thanks for joining us today,
Peg.

Peg Spear: Oh, I'm happy to be here.

Host: So we're going to be talking a little bit about
the continuum of care in senior life community. Before we jump into that, can
you tell us a little bit about your background in the senior life living realm?

Peg Spear: Well, I've been working in Senior Life for
over 12 years and in Marketing for over 30 years. So, I'm excited about working
in Senior Life, because I just feel like the journey is worth the effort.

Host: Yeah, for sure. And I know it's a great community
that you work in, and beautiful setting. So talking a little bit about what
care continuum means when it comes to a senior life community. You know, you
hear care continuum and you're like, all right, huh? What does that mean? So
can you tell us what the different areas are within that continuum?

Peg Spear: Yes, absolutely. I'd be excited to share that
story. So we start out with what's called independent living, and that's where
seniors who have been like living on their own, in their own homes have come to
the point where managing a house is just getting to be too much. Yard upkeep
and housekeeping and just all of that in general. So they enter the continuum,
as an independent living resident. And we start taking over some of those
responsibilities like housekeeping and meal preparation and such. And then on
top of that, we provide a variety of socialization and activities. And we have
such a beautiful community with swimming pool and a hot tub and physical
fitness centers. So it starts in independent. And then as we continue along in
our journey, we might get to a point where we need a little bit more help with
managing things like medications, et cetera, or like assistance with daily
living, showering, dressing, grooming, toileting.

Our life gets to be a little bit more challenging as we get a
little bit older, so then assisted living might be the next step. In some situations,
our memory can be affected. And in that regard, we also offer memory care. And
that program provides our residents with an environment that is conducive to
their journey with the memory issues. And then if need be, there's always the
next step, which is skilled and or a nursing home level care.

Host: Okay. So there's lots of different areas. So like
you mentioned, the first step is independent living. So why would someone
choose to go into a senior community, to live in an independent living versus
just choosing to go into an apartment to not have that lawn care and things?
Why would they choose to go into that type of community?

Peg Spear: I think, the main reason is our socialization
aspect. You know, a lot of our folks, they've lost their partner or their dear
loved one, and they are alone. And if they move into an apartment complex that
doesn't have any organized social functions, they continue to be alone. And,
that isn't giving them the stimulation or keeping their mind active and just being
involved in different things instead of just being sedentary and not providing
any stimulation physically or mentally.

Host: For sure. I know that socialization is a big part
of not falling into a depression or those things, being able to socialize and have
activities to go to. I think that's, that's really big. So if you're in
independent living, how would you know it's time to transition to the next step
in the continuum?

Peg Spear: Well, most of the time, you know, our staff
is always kind of watching our residents and we might pick up on a few
concerns. If say somebody is having an occasional fall, starting to maybe be a
bit more forgetful and just also just struggling with things like dressing. I
mean, as we get older, bending over and putting on shoes can be a real
challenge and it could also be a real risk. So, that kind of gives us some
insight as to the fact that maybe things are changing and we need more
assistance.

Host: Yeah, that, that definitely makes sense. So can
you talk about the major differences between assisted living and independent
living?

Peg Spear: Sure. In assisted living, we do provide a
much larger amount of services. So in independent we don't provide any medical
care services, but in assisted, we can provide medical care services, so we can
assist with medications, we can assist with activities of daily living. They do
get provided three full hot chef prepared meals a day, housekeeping, laundry.
All of these things are taken care of. And then, as their physical needs
change, say if they need diabetes management, wound care, colostomy, or any of
those other things that can definitely be more challenging. Those can be
managed in our community at our assisted level because we have nurses on our
team 24 hours a day.

Host: Yeah. That's definitely a good differentiation
when you start needing a little bit more of that help and that medical care,
it's that time to transition to assisted living cause those services are
available. So if you are in assisted living and you decide, okay, maybe I need
more care than assisted living can give me, so I need that long-term type of
care or memory support, what does that transition look like?

Peg Spear: Okay, so when we're in the assisted setting,
we have that nursing team 24 hours a day. So we're watching and we are able to
notice if someone is starting to struggle with memory and possibly becoming a
risk to themselves or others simply because they just can't keep track of the
day. And, the short term is generally what goes first. They might have
long-term memories, but they don't remember, they might asked you six times in
an hour whether or not they've eaten breakfast. Well, now we're determining
that there's definitely a need for enhanced care at the memory level.

Host: Okay. That's definitely something I know starting
to ask lots of questions over and over again is definitely a trigger for
dementia, and that need for the memory support.

Just a quick break here for a message. For more than 30 years,
Riverside Senior Life Communities has been providing remarkable living
experiences and quality care. From Westwood and Miller Healthcare in Kankakee,
to Bourbon in Grove and Bourbonnais; you are sure to find the level of care and
vibrant lifestyle you or your loved ones are looking for. To learn more or to
schedule a tour, visit Riversideseniorlife.org.

And we're back. So traditionally, where do you see people
entering this care continuum?

Peg Spear: Well, optimally, I would love to see them
come in at the independent level. That is where they can begin to see that this
is not a nursing home setting. This is a resort, all inclusive resort for the
rest of your life. I mean, we just have so many beautiful amenities, such a
beautiful campus, providing walking paths. We even have a dog park for our independent
living residents that can still care for a dog or a pet of some sort. We also
have like I said, that swimming pool and the heated spa jacuzzi, fitness
center. We have a billiard room and of course fine dining with chef prepared
meals and just all these different activities and outings and things to do.
Optimally, I'd love to see them come in at that level.

Host: Yeah, that would definitely be the right level to
come in at. But it's never too late, correct, to come into the care continuum.
So, if someone came in at, if they decided, maybe, oh, we wanted to start in
independent living, and as you start talking to them, are there times where you
suggest maybe going to a different level of care?

Peg Spear: Absolutely. And I strongly encourage doctors
and professionals to take this into account. Oftentimes family will start to
notice that some things are just going untaken care of. I mean, they're not
taking their medications, they're not showering, they're not eating properly.
But family might have a hard time getting that point across to a loved one
without the loved one feeling insulted. However, but if a doctor, steps in and
says, you know, it might be time to look at assisted living. And again,
assisted living provides you with a private apartment, with that all-inclusive
resort like lifestyle. It's not a nursing home, but yet there's somebody there
24 hours a day to take care of you if you should need assistance.

Because being alone without help, and even if you have say a
life alert of some sort, it's still may not be quick enough. So it's a better
environment to be in, say if an emergency arose.

Host: For sure. And we definitely encourage people to
take tours before you need it, cause there are people that enter into the care
continuum, that someone's fallen because they've been alone and now they can't
necessarily live by themselves or take care of themselves. So they might be
coming from like a rehab program and you're just trying to find somewhere to
put mom or put grandma. And touring before gives you that opportunity to see
what different communities have to offer.

For sure. So we've touched on a lot of the great amenities, but
if someone were looking at a community like Riverside that has the full
continuum of care, why should they consider this type of community versus
somewhere that's just a nursing home or just assisted living?

Peg Spear: Well, I think it makes the transition so much
easier as you continue through the continuum. Like you said, a stimulating
experience such as a fall or a health situation that's landed you in hospital
and now you've gone to rehab and now you just absolutely don't have an option
and you cannot go home. So, you're going to be coming in, in the middle and
you're going to be more apprehensive.

Whereas if you're already there, you're going to be seeing the
assisted side because our different levels mix together. We do events together.
We do activities together. And their independent living friends who do
transition over, they continue to go and visit them and see them. So it's a
family.

Host: Yeah, I think that's really a great benefit.
You're not moving away from your friends that you've made. If you've started in
independent living and you move to assisted, you can still see those same
people cause you're in the same building. I think that's really a big thing.
We've talked a lot about a great variety of things about the continuum here,
but is there anything else you'd like to add?

Peg Spear: Well, I encourage people to start looking
before you're ready, because then you will see that it's just a wonderful
environment. And I often joke, a lot of folks come in and they're like, can I
still go out? Can I go to the store? Can I do this? Can I do that? And I'm
like, this is not prison. This is a home, and it's your home. And you'd bring
your own furniture and you'd decorate it the way you want to and you put your
mementos in there and you make it your home and we want to make it your home so
that you're a completely comfortable and it's a wonderful resort like
environment, but with a family atmosphere.

Host: Yeah. And I think that's really important, having
that family and getting to know your neighbors. It's just a really great
benefit to living in a senior life community that has that continuum of care.
Thanks for joining us today, Peg. We've really enjoyed having you and talking
about the continuum.

 And thank you listeners
for tuning into the Well Within Reach Podcast with Peg Spear, Marketing Manager
of the Riverside Senior Life Communities. And your host, Liz Unre. To learn
more about the Riverside Senior Life communities, or to schedule a tour of one
or all of our beautiful locations, visit Riversideseniorlife.org.