spacer Caller ID showed that the call was coming from Pine Lakes, but not from her parents' apartment. Before she even picked up the phone, she felt a sense of dread.

Mildred had fallen and broken her hip. When she got out of the hospital after surgery, she and George were moved into a room together in the skilled nursing unit. George could not be left on his own.

They never went back to the apartment again. Devastated that Mildred had been injured, George was often distraught. For months, he imagined that Mildred was going to die suddenly. In reality, she was out of danger after a few weeks. Even as Mildred got better, George declined rapidly and died the following year.

It has been three years since Mildred, now 90, broke her hip. She recovered remarkably well. She loves going for walks on the grounds of Pine Lakes, something she is able to do by herself. She doesn't use a cane or a walker. She doesn't need an aide to go with her.

However, Mildred is still living in the skilled nursing unit. She is no more impaired than some of the people in assisted living. If she were in assisted living, she would have more space, more privacy and a more home-like setting. It would also cost about half as much.

May 08, 2011

Does it make sense to consider a move to assisted living?

by Elizabeth L. Bewley

In 1999, Mildred and her husband, George, moved into a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Community) that I'll call Pine Lakes. CCRCs offer a range of living options. People typically can live in apartments, in assisted living, or with skilled nursing.

Mildred and George, both in their late 70s, were still able to handle every detail of their lives. Like most people entering Pine Lakes, they moved into an independent living apartment. Mildred loved it, particularly the sun porch opening onto a greenbelt. She spent hours there, soothed by the sights and sounds of nature. "I'm never giving up this apartment!" she repeatedly warned anyone who would listen.

As the years went by, both she and George started to have trouble managing their finances, their meals and other activities. Mildred started to have frequent falls. Often, though, she refused to see the on-site doctor. She was afraid that if the medical staff thought she needed more attention, they would suggest a move to assisted living. "Over my dead body!" she declared.

One night in 2008, their daughter Carol's phone rang around 9:30 p.m.