Does a Couple Have to Split Up Because One Needs Assisted Living?

February 6, 2018 by ·

Martha and David were married for more than 55 years when she fell ill. The illness landed her in the hospital for several weeks. She then spent a couple of months in a nursing home. David visited her every single day. His health was beginning to decline, but he was still able to drive and did whatever he could to help her.

Assisted Living in Satsuma AL: Staying Together

Assisted Living in Satsuma AL: Staying Together

After a while, though, it became clear she needed something more than he could offer.

They started talking about assisted living. When they began looking into this, they were a bit surprised at the cost. They could afford it, but at $4,500 per month, all-inclusive, David was assuming there was no possible way they could both choose this facility to live at together.

They assumed they would have to split up.

The assisted living facility they were considering was about 5 miles from home. David knew he wasn’t going to be able to drive for the rest of his life. He was surprised he was still allowed to hold his driver’s license, even though he wasn’t nearly as comfortable behind the wheel as he was in his younger years.

What they failed to understand was that sharing a room wouldn’t double the cost of this for them. It would certainly be more than the $4,500 they had calculated, but it wasn’t going to be anywhere close to $9,000.

They were torn about this scenario.

David knew he could see his wife every day, but not sharing a home, not being able to go to sleep with her there, not being able to wake up and talk to her first thing in the morning was going to be a difficult thing to adjust to, if that’s what it came down to.

They expressed their concerns with their adult children who were supporting them through this decision. They began to look at the prospect of sharing a room and sat down with an administrator from the facility and realized the cost for both of them was not nearly what David had assumed it would be.

A couple does not have to split up when considering assisted living. They can certainly share a room, as they’ve been doing most of their life, at certain facilities. The cost will be different than it is for a single individual, but for those who want to remain together, assisted living can be a great option that provides comfort, safety, and support.

If you or an aging loved one are considering assisted living in Satsuma, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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