Career Technical Education Teacher Trabuco Hills High School February 15, 2010

This externship examines the fast growing industry of assisted living and looks at how CTE teachers can prepare students to own and operate their own assisted living business.

Industry Professional: John Lee, owner of several assisted living facilities for over 25 years.

Assisted living facilities are best operated in areas with a high number of frail elderly. The frail elderly prefer to continue living where they spent their lives. Ensure the area has residents whose incomes are sufficient to pay your anticipates charges. You can live practically anywhere you want as long as you determine there are sufficient customers and not an oversupply of existing assisted living facilities.

The area must have a hospital and skilled nursing facilities nearby to both refer to and accept referrals from. Hospitals and skilled nursing are great sources of referral.

Assisted living facilities range from small family homes to large purpose built facilities with hundreds of beds. Residents are typically 85 years and older and require assistance with the activities of daily living including ambulating, dressing, eating, bathing and social activities.

Facilities may be licensed for either ambulatory, non ambulatory or both types of residents. Ambulatory residents can get around without any manual or mechanical assistance such as a walker or wheelchair. They are mentally coherent enough to be able to exit the facility in the event of an emergency.

Non ambulatory residents require assistance with ambulating and/or are not mentally coherent enough to know when or how to leave the building in an emergency.

To operate an assisted living facility you need to have passed a course which prepares you to be a facility administrator. Additionally you need to file for and be granted a license by the State of California department of community care licensing. No degrees of any kind are required and you must have no criminal background.

It is important that you like helping others and have a genuine interest in providing care for the elderly.

Most of the licensed assisted living beds in the state of California are in small single family houses. This type of facility is best for starting out. All you need to do is have a lease to control the property. Ownership of the house is not required.

The house needs to have clean bedrooms, bathrooms, common areas and a safe yard. A one story house is preferable but not mandatory since the elderly can trip easily going up stairs. Each bedroom can have one or two beds depending upon bedroom size. Bathrooms should have a high toilet seat and grab rails so that it’s easy to get up and down.

The yard should be safe and fenced. Sitting areas and lots of shade is desirable. Try to make the entire home and yard as pretty as possible. Use furniture and nick knacks that are reminiscent of the early 1900’s since these residents remember the past well. A piano is really a nice touch to have in common areas.

To be profitable it is imperative that you as the owner of the business live at the home and provide as much of the care as possible. Family members can help as well as long as they are fingerprinted and clear and criminal background check. Only hire employees to cover the times that you cannot be there. Remember you want to pay as little payroll to others as possible

Buy your food at the local grocery store and prepare all the meals yourself. Provide social activities such as bingo, puzzles, arts and crafts and old time movies. Don’t attempt walks outside the garden as the frail elderly can fall off curbs.

Make the hospitals and nursing homes aware of you. They are a great source of referral. Constantly visit the discharge planners and bring them gifts. Go to doctors offices and make them and their office staff aware of you. If they like you they will refer to you. Develop a brochure for them to hand out to prospective residents. If possible have a sign out front, a yellow page ad and a website.

If you provide good care the word of mouth will spread and you will always be filled. Then you can rent another home nearby and open another assisted living facility. Remember that it’s best to use family members to provide all the help. Any payroll at all minimizes your profit.

Remember to get liability insurance and workers compensation insurance. These insurance coverage's pay attorney fees and damages in the event there is a claim against you.

Assisted living is in great demand, especially as the baby boomer generation ages. There will be plenty of customers for the rest of your career.

Assisted living is a growing industry that is fun, provides job satisfaction, and lets you control your own destiny. It can be profitable and allows a nice way of life. It can be operated by anyone with minimal education and experience.

CTE students can be prepared for this industry by being taught management skills such as: -Accounting -Microsoft Tools -Marketing -Business Math -Business Management

Highlights of experience. Assisted living is a very rewarding profession. Residents are super appreciative of the care you provide them. It is fun to socialize with them and provide them love and care. I would encourage students to prepare for this profession and enter it as soon as possible.

How will this information be incorporated in my classroom? I plan to use assisted living as an example when I prepare lesson plans for my CTE classes. This way students will be aware of the industry and the opportunities it provides.