This is the twenty-second in a series of articles intended to demystify retirement communities.
The previous column discussed costs of HUD-subsidized senior apartments. This article describes features of three in Prescott, AZ: Casa de Pinos (run by Retirement Housing Foundation, affiliated with the United Church of Christ), Village Tower (run by the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society), and Bradshaw Senior Community.
The sites appear clean, quiet, and well-managed. Some features clearly reflect financial constraints -- kitchen cabinets are more likely to be made of plywood than of, say, cherry hardwood, for example. That said, the apartments appear very functional. For example, two-bedroom apartments in Village Tower feature – astonishingly – six large closets.
Bradshaw is the newest site, and its physical plant is very attractive.
The two faith-based non-profits provide a wide array of extra services and support, and work hard to create a sense of community. Casa de Pinos manager Dena Maiolo said, “Our mission is to provide quality, affordable housing for the elderly that allows them to live independently as long as possible.” Many residents don’t have family in their lives, and fellow residents watch out for each other.
Staff members provide surprisingly personalized help. For example, Marla Tibbits, the manager at Village Tower, noted, “I get calls from residents’ children saying, ‘My Mom’s phone has been busy for the last three hours. Could you see if she left it off the hook?’ Or a resident may say, ‘I haven’t seen so-and-so for a few days. Will you check to make sure she’s okay?’”
In mid-December, Casa de Pinos manager Dena Maiolo and social service coordinator Dee Blaschke described their plans to personally cook Christmas brunch for the residents and to distribute gifts provided through the “Be a Santa to a Senior” program organized by the senior care organization Home Instead.
HUD provides rent subsidies, but other services are heavily dependent on donations and volunteers. Social service coordinators at the two non-profits help residents get free or low-cost help with housecleaning, buying groceries, fixing meals, doing laundry, driving to doctors’ appointments, etc. Volunteer organizations such as People Who Care play important roles. Meals on Wheels is a major presence.
Staff members identify issues and also coordinate with family.
For example, Casa de Pinos asked the Area Agency on Aging, part of NACOG (Northern Arizona Council on Government), to evaluate a resident who was struggling, then located needed services.
Bradshaw Senior Community operates more like a standard apartment complex, without a social service coordinator or extensive extra services.
Typical features at all three sites include libraries, television, monthly birthday celebrations, potluck dinners, seasonal activities such as caroling and Thanksgiving and Christmas parties, emergency pull cords, coin-operated laundries, and activity rooms with pianos, kitchens, jigsaw puzzles and games. Small, well-behaved pets are welcome.
Typically, residents may reserve a kitchen/activity room for family gatherings.
Bradshaw Senior Community and Village Tower each have a pool table and exercise equipment. Bradshaw sports a theatre room, computer access, and movies, and receives donations from Costco of day-old bread and muffins for residents.
Casa de Pinos mentioned Wal-Mart, Costco, and Safeway as major donors.
At Village Tower, one may find a drawing class, music, and bingo; Wii bowling, complete with a multi-site annual competition and a huge trophy; a beauty salon; Books on Wheels – and a magnifying machine to make reading possible for people with limited eyesight; and regular transportation to grocery stores, Wal-Mart, and the mall. (While a $2 donation is suggested for transportation, no one is ever refused a ride for not contributing.)
Village Tower plans to offer free wi-fi to residents by the end of 2013. The maintenance man delivers monthly food boxes from an outside agency to eligible residents; anything they don’t want goes to a common area for other residents.
At Casa de Pinos, residents can get free greeting cards, and a recent monthly newsletter included a homemade word search puzzle containing all residents’ names.
When asked what she liked best about living at Casa de Pinos, one resident immediately replied, “The freedom and the people.”
While HUD-subsidized apartments – particularly the older ones -- are not as fancy as those in upscale retirement communities, residents’ quality of life and satisfaction may be quite similar.
-- Next -- 103. Arizona Pioneers' Home: Low-Cost Continuing Care
