2008-01-24 BUSINESS POST
Parc Communities enters local active adult market
by Bob Pepalis	write the author
(click for larger version) February 07, 2008 The Sales & Marketing director for Parc Communities said retirees want to remain independent, something she said her company works to accomplish with escalating levels of assistance. Sharon Lynch said three retirement living communities - Parc at Duluth, Parc at Piedmont in East Cobb and Parc at Buckhead - serve adults 62 and up. She helped open Parc Alpharetta recently for active adults ages 55 and older who don't require or want full-service retirement living. Many seniors fail to take into account the full cost of health issues after retiring. In addition to good health insurance, Lynch said staying healthy and in shape throughout your life is important. The staff at Parc Communities emphasize keeping fit and active to help prevent health problems. Lynch has nine years of experience in the senior living industry, with the past four years spent at Parc Communities. For the previous five years, she worked for a Roswell senior living community that provides independent and assisted living. Her background includes 13 years in real estate and teaching. She answered the following questions via e-mail regarding issues faced by seniors and people wanting to prepare for retirement living. What is the cost difference for a senior between staying at home or moving into a care facility? Studies by the American Seniors Housing Association, ASHA, show that the current cost of living for age and income qualified seniors is remarkably similar to those costs offered by quality independent living communities. Independent living communities offer most of the everyday services and amenities that a senior is looking for and allows them to live in an environment that will help prolong their independence and possibly never need assisted living. Should one need care in the activities of daily living and need the environment of assisted living or other levels of care, the costs increase. How early should a worker start planning for the costs of being a senior? It's always a good idea to start planning for costs later in life as soon as possible. Most people can no longer rely on their Social Security and pensions to live on as they used to. Most seniors need investments and savings to supplement their Social Security income. Taking advantage of a 401K plan is extremely beneficial and being free of debt is also very important. What percentage of a senior's budget is used for health care? That is very subjective based on individual health. Health insurance is an extremely critical factor, so having a good health plan is the most beneficial factor. There usually are still costs that someone will incur even with good coverage, so planning for those costs is important and sometimes difficult since you're dealing with an unknown. Most people should set aside 10 to 20 percent of their monthly income to cover costs if possible. What unexpected costs arise? Two of the most unexpected costs arising for seniors is a change in their health status and when they experience the death of a spouse. How far off are most people in estimating their health care costs for their senior years? Again, this is very subjective and depends on many factors. Most income qualified seniors that are candidates to live in independent living, assisted living, and other care options have planned for the future and prepared for their care with good health plans. Still, I see them experience additional costs they didn't expect since health care costs have increased and continue to do so. A focus on living an active and healthy lifestyle greatly impacts a person's health, so that's why it is so critical for one to stay independent and eliminate avoidable health issues and costs. How many years does retirement generally last? Overall average lifespan in the U.S. is now approximately 77 years. Most people experience 10 to 15 years of retirement. What should children of seniors know about providing health care for their parents? High encouragement to lead an active lifestyle is critical. Socialization with their peers is one of the most important elements to help people be happy, be active, and stay independent and as healthy as possible. The longer their parents stay independent, the less dependent they are on their children. Adult children may want to consider how uplifting it can be for their parents to be around others versus being lonely or depressed while living in a house. Don't assume that the parents understand what a good health plan is and what do they need, but take an active role to examine their plan and make sure they don't lapse in their coverage. What makes your facilities unique? Parc at Duluth, a part of Parc Communities, is unique in that we focus on maintaining an independent lifestyle. Most people don't want to give up on life, they just want a change to an easier and many times, more vibrant environment. Our highest priority is creating a joyful and caring environment for our residents by putting into place all that is needed to promote an active and healthy, independent lifestyle. Many other independent communities just provide services and are connected to the 'next level of care,' but at Parc, we like to promote having fun, living life to it's fullest, and doing everything possible to remain independent all of your life. All of our Parc Communities are focused on independent living. They were developed from the experience of hearing people say for years, "I'm not ready for that yet!" People want to focus on the highest quality of living available to them now, not give up on life. We have three senior living retirement communities for ages 62 and up, Parc at Duluth, Parc at Piedmont in East Cobb, and Parc at Buckhead. We also just opened our first active adult community for ages 55 and up, Parc Alpharetta. It answers the need for a senior living option that incorporates an age restricted community with socialization, but not full service retirement living. In all of our communities, our staff's dedication and our company credo fully revolves around our residents' pleasure of living well. What services should seniors look for when choosing housing in facilities such as yours? People should look for what is an enhancement to their lives. Most people want to downsize from the maintenance of a house and are looking for a way to live comfortably and enjoy their lives in their retirement. Sometimes, people need a level of care and may not be able to live independently. Many communities offer similar services, but not the same quality of services. First determine the types of services that you would like to have and look for the community that offers the best quality and staff available for the price you can consider. - www.northfulton.com

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