PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Many people think retirement communities are too expensive. Yet when you look at all the expenses of your home, Edgewood compares favorably, as many of the things you pay for now are part of your Edgewood monthly fee. Compare us against other LifeCare senior living communities that include Independent Living and lifelong health care, and you will find Edgewood is actually more affordable than most metro Boston communities.

The combination of the Return-of-Capital and LifeCare Plans offered by Edgewood gives you financial security and value. As an Edgewood member, you will have access to memory support, assisted living and health care, on-site, at a predictable cost as part of your LifeCare Plan. In addition to the Return-of-Capital Plan, 90% of the entrance fee you paid will be returned to you or your estate when you leave Edgewood. Your entrance fee guarantees residency, use of the common amenities, programs and access to high-quality services, including Home care, Skilled Nursing care and Memory Support. Entrance fees vary depending upon the specific residence selected. Your monthly fee covers virtually everything you need — your residence, most utilities, weekly housekeeping, home maintenance, transportation to local medical visits, weekly shopping trips, a flexible dining plan, and full access to Edgewood events, programs and amenities. Plus, you have the assurance of priority access to a continuum of care and peace of mind for you and your family.

To ensure the financial health of Edgewood senior living community, we have guidelines for accepting new members. We look for assets equal to at least two times the entrance fee. Assets include your home, other property, cash and investments. We look for one and a half times the monthly fee in income from all sources, including pensions, Social Security, annuities, IRAs and other resources.

The best time to move to any retirement community is while you are active and in good health. The maintenance-free lifestyle at Edgewood frees you from the worries and responsibilities of maintaining your home so you have more time to do all the things you enjoy. The comment we most often hear from new residents is “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” Life in our senior living community is vibrant and as active as you want it to be.

What types of people do you like being around? What do you enjoy doing or would you like to try? Take the time to visit Edgewood. Attend our programs and meet members to hear about their decision-making processes and how they like the Edgewood lifestyle. Even enjoy some meals here. After a while, you’ll know if Edgewood feels like home to you. Different communities offer different types of financial arrangements. What makes the most sense for you? If you are financially conservative, having the peace of mind LifeCare provides may be important to you. Or maybe you’re willing to take a chance and pay a little less now for a community without LifeCare, knowing you may pay much more later, should you need long-term care. Do you prefer a rental community or an entrance fee community? Do you like the promise of having 90% of your entrance fee returned to your estate?

Just like other big decisions, this is a process. Often in a couple, one may be ready to make the move to a senior living community, and the other might not be ready. While you want the best for them, what you think is best may not be what they believe is right. It is all about their needs, not yours. Be encouraging, warm and enthusiastic about their options, and let them determine what suits them best. After all, they are the ones making the decisions for their lives.

Your parents may not have shared their financial situation with you and may find such a conversation intrusive. Tell them you want to help, but if they prefer, they should talk with a financial advisor to make sure they can afford the retirement community. Offer to help by looking at their current expenses and comparing them to all the services and amenities available from Edgewood.

To ensure the financial health of Edgewood senior living community, we have guidelines for accepting new members. We look for assets equal to at least two times the entrance fee. Assets include your home, other property, cash and investments. We look for one and a half times the monthly fee in income from all sources, including pensions, Social Security, annuities, IRAs and other resources

There are many things to consider when seeking a senior living community that supports vibrant, independent living. As you research communities, here are a few things to think about:

Location: Do you want to stay near your current home or move closer to family members? 

In what size community would you be most comfortable? Our members like the size of Edgewood. With 217 apartments, 24 cottages and approximately 300 residents, members say Edgewood is large enough to have a good mix of people who share some of your interests but small enough to make it easy to get to know others.

Do you prefer a refundable entrance fee or rental community? Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) like Edgewood are usually entrance fee communities in which a portion of your entrance fee is returned to you or your estate when you leave the community. Rental communities often are more specific to one type of service such as Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing Home Care or Memory Support. When you choose such a specialized community, you may need to make one or more additional moves as your needs change.

What do you enjoy doing? Look at the program calendars for a few months. Do you see programs and activities you would enjoy participating in?

What qualities do you look for in friends? We encourage prospective members to spend time at Edgewood, attend programs, dine with members (we’re happy to arrange this), or possibly stay in a guest suite. This gives you the opportunity to get to know some of the people who could become your friends and neighbors.

What amenities and services do you desire? Do you want a community that empowers Independent Living? Would you enjoy a choice of dining options with varied menus? Do you want a cottage home or an apartment? Would you enjoy the indoor pool, fitness center, our Lifelong Learning classes, and taking trips to museums, cultural events and more? Do you like to take walks and, if so, are there safe places to do so? Would you enjoy having someone to take care of your weekly housekeeping or drive you to doctors’ appointments? How about the convenience of on-site banking? Just like when you chose your current home, make a list of the things that are important to you and take it with you as a checklist.

What is the reputation of the community? Talk to residents and their family members to get their input.

Is the organization financially healthy? A reputable, financially sound community should offer to share its financial statements with you.

Do you like the staff? Are they friendly? Do they know the residents? Is there longevity among the staff or does the community tend to have high employee turnover? Is the management team stable? Do residents a voice in the community? Is the board of trustees local and involved in the community?

Our preferred provider for downsizing and moving assistance.

Annual nursing home rankings.

Committed to meeting the evolving needs of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia — and their families.

The leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care.