FeaturedFamous is the largest city in Kansas, Wichita is home to nearly 400,000 people. The city is the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of nearly 650,000 as of 2015.
The city is located on the Arkansas River, in South Central Kansas. Its history began as a trading post on the Chisholm Trail during the 1860s, and it became a city in the year 1870. Since, Wichita has been a popular destination for the area's many unique points of interest, including historical landmarks and one-of-a-kind opportunities that make it stand out from other cities in the Midwest.
Alongside nearly Limitless opportunities for fun and entertainment, Wichita is home to a wide variety of senior communities, including assisted living residences. This guy will discuss the state's regulations which govern licensing for assisted living communities in Wichita, so families can know what to expect before they apply to a residence and move in.
Wichita Assisted Living
Before residents may provide housing or services to residents and call themselves an assisted living community, they must meet the state's regulations regarding residential healthcare. In Kansas, the Secretary of Aging and Disability Services licenses all residential communities, defining them as adult care homes. The term adult care homes include assisted living facilities and residential healthcare facilities, although the regulations may differ among the many types of adult care homes in Kansas.
In Kansas, small private residences that serve up to ten or twelve residents may be licensed by the Secretary of Aging and Disability Services to provide long-term care. These residences, which may be called Boarding Care Homes and Home Plus, may not provide the level of care available at assisted living communities but must oblige with the state’s applicable regulations to maintain their license.
Senior living communities in Kansas may be defined as one of two types of adult care home:
To be defined as an assisted living facility, a community must care for at least six individuals who are not related to the residences administrator, operator, or owner. Their residents may need personal or supervised nursing care, and these types of communities must provide apartments with kitchens and must coordinate services that are available 24 hours a day.
Communities that are defined as residential Healthcare facilities must care for at least six individuals and must provide the same services that are available at an assisted living facility. However, residential Healthcare facilities are not required to provide kitchens in their living units.
Additionally, assisted living communities in Wichita required to provide service planning and general personal care according to the state's regulations. In Kansas, a community must provide healthcare services for each resident based on prior assessments by a licensed nurse, along with services like:
Housekeeping
Transportation to personal occasions, medical appointments, and dental appointment social events and planned activities
Medication administration, when a resident is unable to self administer their own prescriptions.
Personal care services typically include assistance with each resident activities of daily living, which may include help with bathing, dressing, eating, or maintaining personal hygiene. The level of care a person receives when they move into an assisted living community depends on their pre-admission assessment, which outlines their individual health care needs and their personal preferences.
If an assisted living resident requires healthcare services, a licensed nurse must assist them with a health care service plan. In Kansas, health care services are defined as typical personal care, in addition to nursing care tasks.
Assisted Living vs. Other Types of Long-Term Care in Wichita, Kansas
Assisted living is popular, but it isn't the only type of long-term care available for those who need it. In Wichita, Kansas, families can find a variety of senior living communities that provide varying levels of care, tailored to their residents' needs.
If a person needs ongoing help with their activities of daily living, an assisted living community may be the right choice for long-term care. However, some individuals want the benefits of community-based living but do not require daily assistance with eating, dressing, bathing, or other activities. In these cases, independent living may be a more appropriate choice for retirement.
Independent and assisted living or similar, each offering a variety of social activities, Transportation, on-site meals, home-like apartments, and around-the-clock emergency assistance.
However, independent living communities do not provide the same daily level of care is assisted living, making them a suitable choice for those who are largely self-sufficient. By moving into an independent living community, a person or family can enjoy the benefits of community-based living, even if they do not require the assistance of another person to complete basic tasks.
Unlike assisted living or Independent Living, nursing homes provide skilled nursing care that is ideal for those with chronic health conditions. If a person needs ongoing, regular medical assistance to manage their health, a nursing home may be a more appropriate alternative to Residential Care communities.
Nursing homes are subject to unique staffing requirements that make them more readily equipped to assist those with chronic illnesses or injury. It's important for an individual to speak with their doctor and their prospective long-term care communities to determine if residential care or nursing care is right for them.
Standard Assisted Living Amenities in Wichita, Kansas
Just as the state requires Assisted Living residences to provide a certain level of care and specific in-unit amenities, they also require communities to provide a handful of resources design with residents in mind.
All assisted living communities and residential care facilities in Wichita, Kansas must provide meals on site. residents must be allowed to have personal input into the selection of food they are served, and they must be allowed to determine the timing of their meals. If a person needs a therapeutic diet, it must be negotiated in their service agreement according to instructions set forth by the individual's physician or their license dietitian.
All assisted living communities must plan their menus according to the dietary guidelines for Americans, published by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services. Assisted living communities must work with a dietetic service supervisor or a train dietitian to provide on-site nutritional supervision if they house 11 or more individual residents.
Additionally, assisted living communities in Wichita must provide social activities to help residents stay engaged with others. These activities may vary by the community but may include unique opportunities like:
Arts and craft sessions
Friendly competitions
Gardening
Continuing education opportunities, like lectures
Fitness classes
Movie screenings
Group outings
A family should contact their preferred community before applying or moving in to learn more about the events coming up on-site. Many residences publish a monthly calendar of events to help residents plan their schedules ahead of time.
Assisted Living Apartments in Wichita, Kansas
The state requires assisted living communities in Wichita to provide certain basic amenities in each apartment for their residents. These regulations vary depending on whether a community is defined as an assisted living facility or residential Healthcare facility.
Assisted living facilities must offer apartment-style units with a living area, a private and fully accessible bathroom, storage areas, lockable doors, operable windows, add a kitchen complete with a sink, refrigerator, and at least one cooking appliance. The kitchen should also offer storage for food, utensils, and food preparation supplies. These apartments do not need to be private, although many are.
Residential health care facilities are not required to offer kitchens, but they must offer fully accessible private bathrooms complete with a bathtub or a shower. Any community that was license prior to 1995 as an intermediate personal care facility is not required to offer kitchens or private bath, according to the state's regulations.
Things to Do in Wichita
As the largest city in Kansas, there's plenty to do in Wichita and just outside the city. The area is home to a wide variety of points of interest that offer many hours worth of fun for the whole family.
The Sedgwick County Zoo is a must-see, offering education-focused animal exhibits and more. The zoo, which was founded in 1971, is home to more than 3,000 individual animals representing almost 400 unique species. The zoo's exciting exhibits include the tiger truck, the Downing Gorilla Forest, the Penguin Cove, and the pride of the Plains. Along with their permanent exhibits, the Sedgwick County Zoo offers a variety of one of a kind of vents, including animal shows and more.
Botanica, the Wichita Gardens is another popular destination in this bustling Midwestern City. The Wichita Gardens and Compass more than 17 acres, and have been welcoming guests since they open their doors in 1987. It offers a one-of-a-kind experience for families to enjoy during the warm summer months in Wichita.
Looking for an indoor adventure? Families might consider visiting the Exploration Place, famous for its many exhibits, live shows, and interactive science programs. The center offers programs and exhibits for guests of all ages, making it a fun outing for the whole family.
Funding Assisted Living in Wichita Kansas
Paying for long-term care can seem challenging what families approach retirement, but it doesn't have to be. Fortunately, there are a variety of programs available to help those who are moving into long-term care communities, making any more financially viable option or retirement living.
Long-term care insurance is an increasingly popular way to pay for assisted living, thanks for its ease of use and its potential savings. Many assisted living communities in Wichita accept long-term care insurance to pay for services, room, and board, making it one of the most effective ways to plan for the future.
However, a family should be aware that the cost of long-term care insurance policies go up the closer they are to retirement age. The younger a person is when they purchase their long-term care insurance policy, the more they will save each monthly premiums. As a person approaches retirement age, long-term care insurance may not offer the same savings as if they had purchased it many years in advance.
Additionally, there are a handful of government-subsidized assistance programs are available to help families pay for long-term care when they can't pay out of pocket. For example, Medicaid offers a Home and Community-based Services Program designed for financially eligible families who are approaching retirement.
The program is reserved for adults who require the assistance of another person to complete their activities of daily living, and who meet Medicaid’s financial eligibility requirements. If a person does not financially qualify for Medicaid, they may not receive the Home and Community-based Services waiver to pay for long-term care.
Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a unique program exclusive to Veterans who served in the United States armed forces and who were not dishonorably discharged. The program, widely known as Aid & Attendance designed for veterans who need ongoing assistance with their activities of daily living.
To receive the benefit, a person must be financially eligible for the standard monthly pension awarded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information, a family should speak with their VA caseworker to discuss their personal eligibility for the aid and attendance program.