Home Care vs. Assisted Living: A Guide for Families of Seniors

Here is your chance to live in a historically designated building two blocks from bustling Union Station.  Built in 1882, The Barth Hotel was originally a liquor warehouse, but it was soon converted into an upscale hotel. While the Barth Hotel Assisted Living is historic, it provides a home with tall ceilings, large and expansive windows, and beautiful features throughout the building Senior Housing Options (SHO) purchased the property in 1980 to help solve the problem of older adults being displaced in downtown Denver due to gentrification. SHO continues that mission today providing residential communities and caring services to enrich the lives of older adults in Colorado.  The Barth Hotel accepts Medicaid and private pay for a studio unit and is all-inclusive starting at just $4,000 a month.  All SHO Assisted Living properties provide three home cooked meals a day, snacks, medication administration, 24/7-person centered care, housekeeping and on-site maintenance and life enrichment activities that are included in the all-inclusive rate.  Call today for more information at 303- 534-7142 or plan to attend our open house on August 15, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at 1510 17th Street Denver, CO 80202. If a quiet, park-like setting is more to your liking, come visit our Park Hill Residence half a mile east of City Park near the Denver Zoo.  Park Hill Residence was converted from a convent and still possesses its original charm.  There are recently renovated rooms available with the same all-inclusive benefits listed above.  These quaint rooms start at $4,000, Medicaid and private pay accepted.  Another development at Park Hill is the addition of an Adult Day Program beginning Fall 2024 for people 60+ with dementia.  If you would like Information about living at Park Hill or the Adult Day Program, they can be reached at 303-993-5049. Cinnamon Park is our beautiful, assisted living community in Longmont.  Founded by a group of physicians in 1984, Cinnamon Park became a SHO community in 1992.  We currently have availability that includes the same benefits all our residents at SHO assisted living communities enjoy with unit rates beginning at $4,000.  Located in a beautiful residential neighborhood, they share the campus with our affordable living senior community and enjoy many shared activities. We also have open waitlists for many of our affordable housing units too, including hard-to-find two-bedroom units at September House or Decatur in Denver.  If interested, please contact our main number at 303-595-4464. Senior Housing Options is celebrating 45 years of following our vision to assure Colorados older adults live and thrive in a safe, caring community regardless of their financial means.  Please save the date to attend our anniversary celebration on Wednesday, October 16th from 6:00pm 8:00pm at the Space Gallery located in the Denver Arts District.  Industry experts have been invited to speak and a buffet dinner will be served.  More information to follow.  Sponsorship opportunities are available.  Please contact Christine at 303-523-3362 if interested. Senior Housing Options, Inc. (SHO) is a nonprofit organization that serves low- and moderate-income older adults and adults with disabling conditions. SHO is unique in that we provide affordable housing in both the assisted living and more independent settings to those who need it most. We are one of Colorados most long-standing nonprofits in the affordable housing sector, providing the best options for older adults and those with disabilities. Please visit SeniorHousingOptions.org and subscribe to our newsletter, to learn more and keep in touch our phone number is 303-595-4464 and email is info@SeniorHousingOptions.org.

Transitioning into the senior years can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when faced with the challenges of clutter and disorganization. At A Call to Order Professional Organizer, we understand the importance of bringing calm and order to seniors' lives. In this blog post, we'll explore how professional organizers can transform chaos into calm for seniors, providing practical tips and guidance along the way.Understanding the Impact of Chaos on SeniorsFor many seniors, maintaining a clutter-free and organized living space becomes increasingly challenging as they age. Clutter can contribute to stress, anxiety, and even safety hazards, impacting both physical and mental well-being. Understanding the impact of chaos on seniors is crucial in recognizing the need for professional organizing services.The Power of Professional Organizers for SeniorsCompassionate Guidance: Professional organizers specializing in senior care offer compassionate guidance and support throughout the organizing process. They understand the unique needs and challenges seniors face and provide non-judgmental assistance in decluttering and organizing their living spaces.Customized Solutions: Every senior's situation is unique, which is why professional organizers tailor their services to meet individual needs. They assess the client's living environment, preferences, and mobility considerations to develop customized organizing solutions that promote functionality and independence.Decluttering Expertise: Seniors may accumulate belongings over the years, leading to clutter and disorganization. Professional organizers have the expertise to help seniors declutter their homes efficiently and effectively. They assist in sorting through possessions, identifying items to keep, donate, or discard, and implementing practical storage solutions.Safety and Accessibility: Safety is paramount, especially for seniors living independently. Professional organizers prioritize safety by creating clutter-free and accessible living spaces. They address potential hazards, such as tripping risks and blocked pathways, and implement safety measures such as installing grab bars and improving lighting.Emotional Support: Sorting through belongings can evoke strong emotions for seniors, particularly when parting with sentimental items. Professional organizers offer emotional support and encouragement throughout the process, helping seniors make decisions that align with their goals and values while respecting their emotional attachment to certain belongings.Long-Term Solutions: Professional organizing is not just about tidying up; it's about establishing sustainable systems that promote long-term organization and well-being. Organizers teach seniors practical strategies for maintaining order in their homes, empowering them to stay organized and clutter-free in the future.At A Call to Order Professional Organizer, we recognize the transformative power of bringing order to seniors' lives. Our team of experienced organizers is dedicated to helping seniors transition from chaos to calm, providing compassionate guidance, customized solutions, and ongoing support every step of the way. With our expertise in decluttering, organizing, and promoting safety, we create harmonious living environments where seniors can thrive independently. Let us be your partner in reclaiming peace, order, and tranquility in your home.

We provide comprehensive Elder Law planning by reviewing assets, income and transfers in order to determine the elders needs and identify any other legal needs that should be addressed in the plan. Initially these plans are done with a focus on long term care planning, asset protection and Medicaid. Medicaid is a government program that is available to pay for long term care for individuals who are medically and financially eligible. We look at ways to create a safety net of overlapping resources so the individual can maximize their sense of security and independence.We specialize in the following areas of Elder Law:Incapacity: Incapacity is a formal, legal finding made by a judge in the context of a guardianship proceeding, after a hearing and introduction of clear and convincing evidence. Although the Courts appointment of a guardian for an individual constitutes a formal finding of incapacity, no such legal finding of incapacity is associated with a courts appointment of a conservator for an individual. For more information regarding guardianships and conservatorships, please click here.Although a legally incapacitated person lacks the capacity to be able to do things like write a will or enter into contracts, there are varying degrees of capacity short of a legal finding of incapacity within which a person may still be able to enter into legally valid, binding or enforceable arrangements. These situations include:Mental Capacity to Write a Will:  Testamentary capacity consists of mentality and memory sufficient to understand intelligently the nature and purpose of a transaction, comprehend generally the nature and extent of the property to be disposed of, remember who are the natural objects of the testators bounty, comprehend what the testator wishes to bequeath to his or her heirs or devisees with reference to the way those people behaved and treated the testator, and with regard to those individuals capacity and need, and understand the nature and effect of the desired disposition.Mental Capacity to Gift:  The essential requirements of a valid gift from one living person to another are a clear and unmistakable intention to make a gift, and a complete parting of possession and surrender by the donor of all control and dominion over the same to the done.  Questions of whether an individual lacked sufficient capacity to be able to clearly, unmistakably and knowingly form an intention to make a gift and completely surrender an item can be subject to litigation and are questions of fact determined by the court or, occasionally, by a jury.Mental Capacity to Contract:  For an individual to have sufficient mental capacity to enter into a contract, the individual must not be under the influence of fraud, coercion or imposition.  There is valid authority in Colorado for the notion that contractual capacity is legally the same as testamentary capacity, referenced above.  Competency to contract is determined by a partys mental state at the time of execution of the agreement.  Every person is presumed by the law to be sane and competent for the purpose of entering into a contract.  A party can be insane for some purposes, yet still have the capacity to contract.  However, a person is incompetent to contract when the subject matter of the contract is so connected with an insane delusion as to render the afflicted party incapable of understanding the nature and effect of the agreement or of acting rationally in the transaction.Mental Capacity to Marry:  Under Colorado statutory law, a decree of invalidity of a marriage will be issued when the marriage was entered into when a party lacked capacity to consent to the marriage at the time the marriage was solemnized, whether because of mental incapacity or infirmity or because of the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other incapacitating substances.  The district court must also enter a decree of invalidity of a marriage entered into when one party entered into the marriage in reliance upon a fraudulent act or representation of the other party, which fraudulent act or representation goes to the essence of the marriage, or one or both parties entered into the marriage under duress exercised by the other party or a third party.Medicaid/Medicare: Dealing with Medicaid and Medicare issues, including working through applications, eligibility, hearings and appeals, can be confusing, time-consuming and frustrating.  Our team has the experience and know-how to help you successfully navigate Medicaid and Medicare.Long Term Care Planning: We can guide you with a forward-thinking approach to Long Term Care.  Although the term Long Term Care is often mistakenly thought to exclusively mean long term care insurance coverage, a more accurate and holistic view is that Long Term Care should cover a broad range of strategic planning, including but not limited to long term care insurance, Medicaid, Veterans Benefits, and other resources that may be used to pay for Long Term Care needs.Call us today to schedule an appointment, 303-783-9600.