Frequently Asked Questions

Please see Senior Living Options for more detailed information. In summary:

A Retirement Home, also known as Independent Living, is meant for independent seniors and generally provides amenities including activities and transportation included in a basic monthly fee.

Assisted Living provides regular meals and personalized assistance with the activities of daily living, medication management and /or transfers in a supportive environment.  Socialization is highly encouraged in these hotel-style living accommodations. Transportation is provided to medical appointments and activities. Some facilities have specialized, secured “Memory Care” units.

Memory Care , or Alzheimer’s/Dementia, communities offer specialized programs for residents suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia in a secure environment. These programs are staffed with specially trained professionals skilled in dealing with individuals with memory and behavioral changes. They are usually located within an Assisted Living facility or are a stand-alone complex.  Some Board & Care homes are licensed to care for residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Board & Care Homes are smaller Assisted Living communities that offer care in a residential environment. These homes are licensed to provide care to those who prefer a home-like setting or a lower caregiver to resident ratio than their larger Assisted Living facilities.

A Nursing Home, or Skilled Nursing or Rehab Facility, provides care services to people with complex medical needs. They also offer short-term rehabilitation to people recuperating from a stroke, accident, surgery or medical issue.

The California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division regulates the Assisted Living, Dementia and Board & Cares.  There are several offices throughout California.  The California Department of Health regulates Nursing Homes.

Visit the Department of Social Services in your area and check to see their license is current and review their annual survey. All the information is of public record. If they have had any deficiencies or complaints see that there is a Plan of Correction in place.

Generally, no. Most senior living communities are paid for out of private funds. See Government Pay Options for more information on what Medicare and Medical cover.

Possibly, similar to renting an apartment, the monthly costs can increase as much as 5% a year. The monthly rate can also increase if the senior’s care needs escalate in any way. By law, the facility is supposed to give 60 days notice if care levels increase.

It is not always an easy thing to do, but we recommend that you start the conversation as early as possible. Waiting until there is a health or safety crisis is not the best idea. Focus the conversation on how much you care and that you only want what will keep your parent or loved one safe, happy and healthy. The senior living industry has come a long way and it is likely more attractive in reality than it is in their fears. We can give you recommendations on communities near to you that you may want to tour and have lunch as a starting point. Also we recommend Adult Day Care or Respite Stays as an introduction to the senior community lifestyle.

This is an entirely personal decision and, although there may be some natural angst, you should feel comfortable with your choice. Visit as many communities as it takes for you to feel that you are making the right decision. Start with at least 3-5 communities to give you a feel for the differences.

Senior communities are like people, each has its own distinct personality. Your goal should be to find a community that provides the care your loved one needs, in a location that you both prefer, in an environment that matches or compliments theirs, within your budget. This is not always easy and may require some compromise but hopefully you should be able to get most of what you are looking for. For example, will your loved one prefer an extremely active community, chock full of activities from sun-up to sun-down or one that is more laid back where the residents sit on the patio for hours talking about their families and the good ole days? Download our Senior Community Tour Checklist to help guide you on what to look for.

Many communities have a one-time Community Fee, or Administrative Fee. This fee generally covers the cost to move your loved one into the community including the assessment, processing the admissions document, physician’s report and medications list. Monthly fees are made up of monthly rent and care fees, see Cost Comparison, if applicable. Finally, please allow for possible additional costs such as cable television, newspaper delivery, phone service and the costs of the recreational activities outside of the community such as cultural events and restaurant visits. Also, many communities will charge for transportation above a certain number of weekly trips.

You will need to complete an admissions packet which explains the details regarding the costs of care and terms of services. You will also need to submit a recent physician’s report which will detail all heath needs, diagnoses and medications. This must be submitted before the move. A nurse or admissions coordinator will complete an evaluation of your parent or loved one in order to understand and plan for their care needs properly. Finally, the senior must have a tuberculosis test if have not had one in the last 6 months.

Based on the information that you provide to us, we selectively provide a listing of senior communities matching the care needs, style of living, budget, location, social, cultural and personal living preferences. We do not own or have any interest in any senior community. The list of options is customized specifically for each individual based on the criteria provided and is NOT computer generated like many of our competitors.

We provide our service to clients at NO CHARGE. There are some agencies that charge a fee for case management or to take you to places to tour to “help” you to make a decision. It is a very personal decision and one should not be pressured by an agency. We give you the tools to make your own decision that works best for your family.

Although our service is free to clients, we are not a not-for-profit. Instead, we are compensated by the senior living communities that we have relationships with for making a match between the client and the right senior community. This “finders-fee” is only paid to us after you have selected the senior community that is right for your loved one. In this way, you can trust that our interests are aligned and that the options we give you are uniquely customized to have strong match potential given your specific criteria.

No, there is no extra fee to the client, it is a violation to do so.

As one of the largest and most established senior living referral services in California, we maintain an extensive database of updated information on over 3000+ senior living communities in the state. You can trust our expertise and avoid the duplication of multiple efforts.

Yes, in order for us to remain a free service to the consumer, we ask that you mention that you were referred by Accent on Seniors in order to ensure that our service is recognized by the senior living places based on the referrals we provide. We thankyou for your cooperation.

We are here to help you find the right senior living option and we want to hear the good news when you find a place that fits. We also want to hear your feedback on the community so we know which places get high marks and which fall short. This helps us to maintain high standards in our referrals. Finally, we typically do not close your file until we know that you have found what you were looking for or your needs changed So we ask that you keep the lines of communication open. Remember, we are here to help!

Professionalism…. Expertise…. Client Satisfaction… Licensure! We have been helping families like yours since 2001. With over 30,000 families served, we are one of the largest senior living advisors in California. Trust our experience to guide you toward the right senior living community for your loved one. Learn more About Us.