Affordable Assisted Living

Community Partner Communication Plans

Constituent: Community Leaders

  • Must be target audience early in project planning
  • Invite them to have a role in the planning process
  • Important element in building and maintaining community support
  • Items to communicate during initial meeting:
  • What is assisted living?
  • What is the difference between affordable and market rate assisted living
  • Address “not in our backyard” issues: Who is our target market? Personalize it to local needs.
  • Development can serve a variety of incomes (low, moderate, market)
  • Cost/benefit analysis:
  • slow growth in Medicaid spending on long term care; makes sense to tax payers
  • keep elders in our community: maintain spending and financial accounts; sale of their homes; feeder system for nursing facility and hospital; employs additional people; increases sales to businesses that sell to program
  • example: continuing care retirement community – provides a continuum of care; sustained demand over time
  • resistance to move to a regional center: if an elder can’t live close to friends, they are more likely to move close to family; that may result in a move to another state
  • Use the planning process to create awareness and establish a base for future support; “paint a picture;” What will this look like in our community? Create an image of what affordable assisted living should look like. Will it be restricted to an income level or will there be multiple income levels served? Is the project new construction, conversion or rehabilitation of an existing property?
  • Incorporate into a general discussion on planning for housing and health care needs of elderly
  • Explain the difference between what is proposed and what currently exists in assisted living and independent senior housing: Will the program serve a different audience? How will it meet an identified need? How was need identified (needs assessment, independent market study)?
  • How does the assisted living program fit with the community land use plans, zoning? Is there a perception of need?
  • Address any questions local or county may have: Amortize cost of current services/streets; Increase tax base
  • Who are the people we need to cultivate?
  • Elected officials
  • Lenders
  • Neighboring property owners
  • Community leaders and active volunteers
  • Civic organizations
  • President, board and administrator of hospital
  • Administrator of the senior center
  • Faith-based group or ministerial association
  • Local housing committee
  • Chamber of Commerce
  • Economic development councils/organizations
  • Senator, representative

Constituent: Investors, Bankers

  • Describe how the project is structured financially and how it would operate; clearly explain
  • Ongoing operation: components and how costs will be covered; forecast cost estimates
  • Rent: structure of financing loan
  • Board: how expenses are covered
  • Services: how expenses are covered for low-income elders
  • Medicaid eligible: experienced provider of services
  • Not Medicaid eligible
  • Risks involved: lose Medicaid waiver eligibility
  • Summary statement of State rules and relationship to affordability and costs
  • Give special consideration to financial risks and be prepared to answer their questions: development funding source limitations; operations funding source limitations; changing government policy; changes in consumer interest; federal regulation of assisted living programs; etc.
  • Show how the developer has planned for limitations of the funding sources and how the ongoing compliance will be maintained
  • Sources of funding; financial reports
  • May eventually be the purchasers of tax credits
  • Issues to address:
  • Independent Market Analysis/Feasibility Study
  • Developer eligibility
  • Experience of development team; role of each team organization/member
  • Broad need (services to be delivered are needed)
  • Location
  • Community support and involvement
  • Due diligence plus local level buy-in
  • Local banker: effect on entire community
  • Need based on independent market study
  • Adapt development formula to assisted living; structured around traditional housing – financial models don’t know how to handle service cost component
  • Expenses: sources and uses
  • Income: sources and uses
  • Variable costs based on client; qualifications for clients
  • Perceptions of housing with services (nursing home comparisons)

Constituent: Other Service Providers, Human Service Agencies

  • Meet with people that are tied into the health care network – primarily frail elderly.
  • Address how affordable assisted living fits in to the care continuum – coordinates services rather than replaces.
  • Assisted living provided for unscheduled care when a family member is not available or is burned out
  • Use participation in case management to educate others on what assisted living can do for the client
  • Talk to hospital about reducing re-admissions and emergency visits; will save the hospital money.
  • Discuss AL and quality monitoring and oversight.
  • Educate others on how consumer directed attendant care works.

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