What St. Louis Families Should Know About Planning for Senior Living
EverTrue was featured in this article from St. Louis Magazine where it’s explained why exploring senior living before it’s needed gives older adults more choices, greater flexibility, and support that evolves with their needs.
Every family remembers the conversation. The one where someone finally says, “I might need some extra support.”
EverTrue believes that conversation shouldn’t begin with fear or urgency. It should begin with curiosity, before older adults and their loved ones feel forced into a decision. The nonprofit’s guiding philosophy and tagline, “Life According to You,” emphasizes that older adults should have the opportunity to choose how they want the next chapter to unfold.
“We want our residents to live life on their own terms,” says Valerie Cooper, vice president of operations for Life Plan Communities Missouri. “We want them to determine what they need, what they want, and what interests they want to pursue. We listen first, then provide services and opportunities based on who they are as individuals—their life, according to them.”
Planning earlier creates more choices
Many people assume that senior living begins when independence ends. Cooper says planning early often creates the opposite experience.
“The person moving into a community is making that choice for themselves,” Cooper says. “If care needs change later, assisted living, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and memory support are already available. That first decision removes a tremendous amount of pressure from families because future options are already in place.”
Early planning also gives older adults an opportunity to choose a community based on their individual backgrounds, living preferences, desired location, and even particular activities, instead of reacting to an emergency.
“We want people involved in those decisions because it’s their life,” Cooper says. “Moving earlier allows someone to do the research, talk with us about their wellbeing and routines, so they can choose what they want instead of only focusing on what they need.”
Support looks different for every person
Support often changes over time as new needs develop. Someone may begin with home-based services, later move into independent living, and eventually use additional care if needed. Having access to each option creates greater flexibility throughout the aging process.
Through its Life Plan Communities and Anywhere Care services, EverTrue helps provide support to people where they live while adjusting that support as needs change. “If someone moves into independent living and later needs a little extra help, Anywhere Care can provide services right inside their home,” Cooper says. “If additional care becomes necessary later, those options are already available inside the community. ‘Life According to You’ means finding the option that fits your life as your needs change.”
EverTrue applies the same personalized approach to families dealing with a diagnosis of dementia through its StillYou memory care model. Before developing a care plan, team members spend time learning about the residents routines, relationships, interests, and life experiences.
“The StillYou care model encourages us to look at every person individually because every story is different,” Cooper says. “We learn who they are, what their life has been, and what they want next. Then our teams work together to build support around that individual.”
Community opens the door to new possibilities
Older adult living is not only about receiving help; it’s also about creating more time for the people, experiences, and interests that make life fulfilling.
As everyday responsibilities begin taking more time and energy, simple tasks like maintaining a home, preparing meals, or coordinating transportation can slowly replace hobbies, friendships, and new experiences. A Life Plan Community includes multiple dining options, maintenance and technology support, as well as the opportunity to have your own car or use EverTrue transportation services, allowing residents to spend more time doing what they enjoy.
“People can focus on things they enjoy instead of worrying about the day-to-day activities required in maintaining a home,” Cooper says. “There’s also comfort in knowing neighbors and team members are always nearby.”
Life Plan Communities also create opportunities that many people don’t anticipate. Through annual resident surveys, the organization tracks loneliness and has found increased social engagement often leads people to discover interests they never expected.
“We see people trying activities they’ve never experienced before, joining wellness classes, attending cultural events, and becoming more engaged,” Cooper says. “Those opportunities help people continue growing.”
More time means more options
Many families don’t begin exploring senior living or home-based care until they feel that it’s absolutely necessary. Cooper encourages having those conversations much earlier, when there’s time to understand the options, visit communities, and decide what feels like the right fit.
“I would encourage anyone beginning this conversation to reach out and ask questions,” she says. “People usually have more choices than they know. Learning those options early gives you the opportunity to make decisions on your own terms.”
Exploring the available options doesn’t require making a decision right away. It simply gives older adults and their families the opportunity to make informed decisions before circumstances begin making them instead.
This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of EverTrue. To learn more about EverTrue’s Life Plan Communities, Anywhere Care, and the Life According to You philosophy, visit evertrueliving.org.