Seventy percent of people age 65 and older will need long-term care at some point in their lives, according to a 2014 study by CareScout, a division of Genworth Financial Services.

“But that doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice their quality of life,” says Peder Johnsen, CEO of Concordis Senior Living, which owns, operates and develops senior housing communities.

“In fact, a person who needs some assistance with day-to-day living will often find he or she is much happier in a good assisted-living community with an atmosphere that reminds them of their former home.”

And it doesn’t have to be outrageously priced, notes Johnsen, a third-generation ALF operator whose family pioneered the contemporary congregate community model.

The median price for a private, one-bed home in an ALF community is $42,000, he says, citing the CareScout report. By contrast, a semi-private nursing home bed costs a median $77,000 a year.

But it’s up to prospective residents and their families to ascertain the quality of the community and whether it’s a good match for the person who will be living there.

“ALFs are not federally regulated and states vary widely on the breadth of oversight they provide, so you can’t necessarily rely on the law,” Johnsen says. “And don’t rely on salespeople either – that’s the biggest mistake people make.”

There are, however, a number of easy ways to see if a home has a truly caring atmosphere and well-trained staff.

Johnsen offers these tips:

•  Ask to see the home’s state licensing survey, an assessment that usually includes inspections, audits, interviews with residents, etc. Every state has an ALF licensing agency and all have some form of survey system for ensuring that certain standards of quality are met, according to the Assisted Living Federation of America.

“Requirements vary from state to state about how often the surveys are conducted and how the public can access the reports, but no matter what state you live in, you should be able to ask the ALF for its most recent report, or obtain it from the licensing agency,” Johnsen says. 

The surveys will tell you if problems were found – or not – and what the ALF did to address them.

•  Visit the ALF during non-business hours.

Go before breakfast or after dinner – times when the administrators aren’t around. What’s the atmosphere? How do employees behave with the residents?

“That’s a good time to talk to residents, too,” Johnsen says.

Be a “mystery shopper,” he suggests. Pretend you’re just visiting the community – not scouting it out as a prospective customer.

•  Ascertain how truly “homelike” the community is.

In your own home, if you don’t feel like eating breakfast at 7:30 a.m., you don’t have to. You can have breakfast at 10. You can get snacks when you want them.

“Depending on what’s important to your loved one, there are potentially many rules that can affect how ‘at home’ a person feels,” Johnsen says. “Some communities allow residents to have pets, others don’t. Some provide lots of activities. At some, residents can quickly and easily arrange for transportation or a service like hair styling.”

Not every community can offer everything, he notes. That’s why it’s important to look for those features that are especially important to your loved one.

Peder Johnsen is the CEO of Concordis Senior Living. For more information, visit www.concordisseniorliving.com.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Three Tips for Choosing an Assisted-Living Home for Your Parent

Editor's note: Due to the sensitivity of her husband's military mission, Colleen B. has requested that we withhold her family's last name.

CRESTVIEW — Bryson B. is a typical 11-year-old boy who loves playing outside, hunting in woods with his dad and riding horses.

But, his mother, Colleen said, there is a difference.

"My son has Lyme disease," she said.

"He was racing through the woods and got into a tick nest and had about 50 of them on him," she said.

After picking off the ticks, everything seemed fine until Bryson awoke several days later with a few red spots. Colleen, suspecting bedbugs, changed his sheets, but more spots appeared.

"I took him to the doctor. His nurse said, 'You should have him checked for Lyme.'

"About a week and a half after the bites, he complained of joint pains, headaches and fever all at the same time. I didn't know about the impact of Lyme disease at the time."

Finding a doctor

When the family's pediatrician reluctantly agreed to extend Bryson's antibiotics treatment for a second week, a church friend advised Colleen to find a Lyme-literate doctor.

However, despite the prevalence of tick-laden Northwest Florida wooded areas, the closest doctors specializing in the often debilitating disease were at least two hours away.

Under the care of a Lyme-literate doctor in Tallahassee, Bryson received the full antibiotics treatment.

"And he's still on antibiotics now," Colleen said. "We think we've conquered it, but it lives in his body, so if his immune system is compromised, he could have a relapse."

Thanks to early detection and prompt antibiotic treatment, Bryson's story has a happy ending.

"If he was not treated in the five- to six-week window, he wouldn't be where he is today," Colleen said.

Award-winning documentary

Colleen, along with Connie Murray, also the mother of a child with Lyme disease, encourages parents to attend a 2 p.m. May 31 screening of "Under Our Skin," an award-winning documentary about Lyme disease.

The film's Woodlawn Baptist Church screening will be followed by guest speakers addressing Lyme disease detection and prevention, and how it has changed their lives. Admission is free.

"This is what's behind our desire to inform people," Colleen said. "You have to push for the proper diagnosis and the proper treatment."

Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash that often resembles ringworm. Infection can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system if the disease is untreated.

Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter, walk in the center of trails and repel ticks with DEET or Permethrin, to prevent infection.

Be extra vigilant in warmer months — April through September — when ticks are most active.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/lyme

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at brianh@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview parents to present Lyme disease awareness information, share their stories

Learn about achieving balance while avoiding or changing destructive behaviors that lead to chronic diseases June 3 at 10:30 a.m., at the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview.

Ginny Barr, the Mental Health Association of Okaloosa/Walton Counties' executive director, will discuss wellness' impact on the mind and body, building on life experiences and positive change.

Coffee and cookies will be served at 10 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Mental Health Presentation to be given at Crestview Library

Northwest Florida State College dental assisting students will offer free dental X-rays May 29 through June 27.

Appointments are available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Cal 729-6480 to schedule an appointment.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NWF State dental students offer free dental X-rays

Thrive Music Fest, benefiting Covenant Hospice, will feature live music on two outdoor stages from 11 a.m. to midnight June 21 at KC’s Sandbar and Grille, 190 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach.

Organizers seek artists interested in performing at the charity event, and volunteers for the planning committee and event day. Preference will be given to artists performing original rock music.

Corporate sponsorships and underwriting opportunities are available, ranging from $250 to $2,500. Participating organizations will receive a variety of benefits including promotional recognition, complimentary admission and preferred seating at the event.

Call Jenni Perkins or Rachel Mayew, 729-1800, and jenni.perkins@covenanthospice.org or rachel.mayew@covenanthospice.org.

Covenant Hospice is a not-for-profit organization that provides comprehensive, compassionate services to patients and loved ones with life-limiting illnesses.

Visit www.covenanthospice.org for more information.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Corporate sponsorships, underwriters sought for Covenant Hospice fundraiser