It is estimated that over 12 million Americans need assistance from others to conduct daily activities. The aging of the population is expected to triple long-term care expenditures in the next 40 years from $115 billion to $346 billion per year. In 2000, there were an estimated 4 million people 85 years or older in the United States. In fifty years, that number is expected to increase to 18 million.

The Family Caregiver Alliance of San Francisco provides these statistics and many others. A 25-year-old nonprofit organization, Family Caregiver Alliance addresses the needs of families and friends providing long term care at home. For information and good links about long term care inside or outside the home, give their website a look at www.caregiver.org.

A second source for information is the U.S. Administration on Aging. This agency operates an eldercare hotline. This free service helps people locate the services they need. The eldercare hotline can be reached at (800) 677-1116 or at www.eldercare.gov.

A third source, and possibly the best because it is local, is the regional Long Term Care Ombudman. There are fourteen regions in Washington State working under the State Ombudsman. The Ombudsman program is a federally mandated state program that receives local, state and federal funding to act as an advocate for people in long term care settings. These settings include nursing homes, the veteran’s home and boarding homes, also known as assisted living facilities.

Gayle Helseth-Kenison runs the Ombudsman’s office. Almost everyone in office is a volunteer. The volunteers receive 40 hours of training and mentor with an experienced volunteer. A volunteer is assigned to each of the facilities in the region to conduct weekly visits. As Helseth-Kenison put it, they are the “eyes and ears of the community”.

This knowledge of facilities places the Ombudsman’s office in the perfect position to assist consumers. Her office can identify facilities that provide services consistent with a patent’s needs, which ones accept Medicaid, and which ones receive high numbers of complaints.

Financing assisted living is a significant issue for almost anyone needing these services. Most of the larger assisted facilities in the area, such as Encore Communities, provide assistance with financial issues as part of their initial consultation with clients. Helseth-Kenison’s office can also provide information about financing and public assistance. She indicated that the monthly cost of assisted living in Kitsap County could run from $1,600 to $4,500 per month. The low end of the scale is for a person who is very independent and the high end is for a person needing care close to that provided by a nursing home. Persons with dementia are also at the high end of the scale.

According to Helseth-Kenison, there are over 60 family home style assisted living facilities in this region. Add the larger facilities like Christa Shores in Silverdale, and you have a huge number of facilities to choose from. Helseth-Kenison suggests that prospective clients visit facilities unannounced and ask lots of questions. Its important to understand what future needs of he resident might be and choosing a facility to meet future needs will minimize patient movement. She warns that moving a senior from one facility to another can be a traumatic event.

Services range from independent living apartments to 24-hour per day skilled nursing facilities. Sydney House in Port Orchard serves around 40 residents in private studio and one-bedroom apartments. There are two nurses on staff, available 24 hours per day on call. Small pets are allowed, and administrator Kay Tanno indicated that many residents enjoy them.

A restaurant style dining room serves three meals a day at Sydney House. The single story building is built around a center courtyard, providing a secure outdoor setting for residents. Equally important is the fact that residents can walk safely around the inside halls of the facility to complete a one-quarter mile loop. The staff encourages residents to walk as much as a mile a day.

The cost of care at Sydney house is based on the needs of each resident. A resident needing minimal assistance could expect to pay between $2,200 and $2,600 per month. A resident needing the highest level of assistance could expect to pay between $2,750 and $3,150 per month. The price is all-inclusive. The amount each resident pays is reviewed periodically and revised, as needs change.

Choosing an assisted living facility is challenging due to the many factors involved. Amenities and cost vary widely and the needs of patients change. Often, there is a great deal of emotion and even sadness associated with moving a patient out of their home. Utilize the expert advice available locally and nationally. It’s the best way to maximize the probability of making a good choice.