FAQ

Assisted living communities support those who need assistance with activities of daily living, while allowing residents to live as independently as possible.

Confusion often arises surrounding the use of the term “skilled nursing.” It’s helpful to consider that skilled nursing is a description of a type of service. The need for skilled nursing services does not automatically mean placement in a residential facility; skilled services are available in a variety of senior care settings, including a senior's own home. Skilled nursing care is a high level of medical care provided by licensed health professionals, such as registered nurses (RNs) and physical, speech and occupational therapists. These services may be necessary over the short term for rehabilitation from an illness or injury, or they may be required over the long term for patients who need a high level of care on a frequent or constant basis due to a chronic medical condition.

No, they are not the same thing. Assisted living is primarily a residential environment, while institutional nursing homes — also called skilled nursing facilities — are considered medical environments. Read more about our language for living.

In independent living, residents are physically healthy enough to live without assistance. An independent living environment typically provides residents with opportunities to engage and grow intellectually, emotionally and socially in active, vibrant surroundings.

Independent living residents should be able to manage their own personal care and grooming needs, understand and manage their medications, effectively use appliances and technology in their apartments, and do light housework.

Assisted living communities encourage residents to live as independently as they want to and are able, while offering help as needed and desired. Some residents may require help only occasionally, while others may need assistance every day. The communities typically work with residents, their healthcare providers and their families to create a plan that's right for each individual.

Memory support, also referred to as memory care, is a form of senior living that provides intensive, specialized care for people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Many assisted living and long-term care communities have created special memory care neighborhoods - homelike, enriching environments specially designed for those living with mild to severe memory impairment.

Long-term care involves a variety of services designed to meet health and personal care needs during a short or long period of time. These services help people live as independently and safely as possible when they can no longer perform everyday activities on their own.

Short-term rehab provides therapy for seniors recovering from a surgery, illness or accident. Short-term rehabilitation programs help participants achieve maximum functional capacity and get back to their homes or communities as quickly as possible.

You may have heard the terms "Continuing Care Retirement Community" or "Life Plan Community." At WesleyLife, we prefer to call our locations "Communities for Healthy Living." Like CCRCs and Life Plan Communities, our Communities for Healthy Living offer full continuums of care, including independent and assisted living, memory support, short-term rehabilitation  and long-term care. However, we go a step further by offering those options within a framework of health and well-being to enhance the lives of all who choose to make their homes with us or benefit from our services.

The safety and comfort of our residents is of paramount importance to us at WesleyLife. We have 24-hour-staffed concierge desks and secured-entry keypads for doors after hours. We hold regular emergency drills, and smoke detectors and sprinkler systems are located throughout each community.

We love our furry friends and allow residents to have dogs or cats at all WesleyLife Communities for Healthy Living in their independent living apartment homes or townhomes. In our other levels of living, we enjoy regular visits from therapy dogs that frequent our communities to provide socialization and comfort.

Many of our communities have a dedicated vehicle for regularly scheduled trips, including grocery shopping, prescription pick-ups, Sunday service drop-offs and social outings. We are happy to arrange for transportation at any of our WesleyLife communities.

Our communities offer a variety of floor plans, making it easy for you to choose the option that best fits your lifestyle. Our sales directors can provide you with room measurements and assist with other move-in details.

It’s natural to feel apprehensive about moving to a new place. At WesleyLife, we make every effort to ensure your transition to living with us is as smooth as possible. We’ll assign an ambassador to you before you even arrive, so that you have someone to show you the ropes when you move in. They’ll help you learn your way around, accompany you to meals and help you sign up for social events if you desire.

Residents across all 11 of our communities range in age from 55 to 100-plus. The average age of our residents across all communities is between 75 and 90.

The entrance fee is money paid upfront to secure a place in a retirement community. Oftentimes, an entrance fee can result in a lower monthly fee, which covers services such as maintenance, cleaning and transportation. Residents do not pay property taxes, and they also qualify for tax breaks on portions of their entrance and monthly fees in retirement communities that provide health care services. It’s always best to talk to your financial advisor, tax professional or family members to determine what is best for you.

In addition to an entrance fee (which guarantees you will have care should you need it in the future), there are monthly costs associated with the amenities of your new senior living community. In a rental or lease-based community, you may pay a small up-front move-in fee and then monthly fees to cover things like:

• Meals, prepared fresh daily
• Housekeeping
• Opportunities to enrich mind, body and spirit
• Home maintenance, both inside and out
• Security

Medicare or Medicaid do not cover the costs of  independent living. Costs are paid by individual residents, but some may find assistance with long-term care insurance or veterans benefits. Many residents pay for independent living by selling their homes, maximizing their Social Security benefits and/or cashing out investments. It’s always best to talk to your financial advisor, tax professional or family members to determine what is best for you. People are often surprised that they can indeed afford a move to senior living.

The monthly cost of independent living can range from $1,500 to $10,000 a month. Compared to the costs of home-ownership – which include insurance, taxes, property maintenance and improvements, utilities, groceries, and home upkeep – an independent living community may be more affordable than you think. Plus, you won’t have to worry about added costs associated with safety and security modifications, and you’ll often have access to convenient entertainment and transportation options you didn’t before.

Non-profit senior living communities like WesleyLife are privately owned, mission-driven organizations that reinvest the money they make to enhance programs and services for residents, the organization and the greater community in which they serve. This continual reinvestment helps support things like operational costs, ongoing community maintenance and general improvements that ultimately benefit residents and their families.

At WesleyLife, the approval process includes a wellness assessment and a financial review to ensure that you have the best plan in place to provide peace of mind and security for your future. Through an independent medical review, the health and wellness assessment will determine which plan is most suitable for you. Our contract options are similar to an insurance plan, and we want to be sure your long-term care needs are met.

We would love to show you around any one of our beautiful communities! [connect to Take a Tour form]

Our locations extend from western Iowa to western Illinois; chances are we offer services near you! Find a community.

We find the happiest and most successful moves to senior living – whether it’s into independent or assisted living, or some level of health care – are the result of honest conversations and thorough research. Every one of our communities has someone on staff who would be happy to sit with you and/or your loved one to discuss what makes the most sense financially, physically and emotionally. And, sometimes, it’s not a move that’s necessary. WesleyLife has an array of in-home services and programs we can discuss with you.

For healthcare needs, please contact us so we can discuss your specific insurance coverage and other funding sources.

For non-healthcare related assistance, prices start as low as $27 an hour. If you live in a WesleyLife community, you will be asked to schedule assistance for a minimum of 2 hours of services. If you live outside of our communities, you will be asked to schedule a minimum of 3 hours to ensure we are able to meet your needs. 

Medicare Part A will cover many healthcare services including, but not limited to, physical/occupational therapy, wound care, skilled nursing, and assistance with such activities as bathing and dressing.

Typically, health insurance programs do not cover non-healthcare related assistance unless you are recovering at home after a qualified hospital stay or illness. Medicare may cover some of our non-healthcare related Home Care services in this instance as well.

Some, but not all, long-term care insurance policies cover some of the costs of services that allow you to remain independent in your home. In Polk County, WesleyLife uses grand funding to provide home-based services to people who cannot otherwise afford care in their homes.

To speak with our team about your specific needs and available funding sources, please contact us here.

You must have a physician's order for services and be able to leave your home only infrequently to qualify for Medicare reimbursement for healthcare services from WesleyLife At Home.

There is no limit to the number of days you can receive care. As long as you continue to require skilled medical care, you can receive Medicare services.

We accept most insurance plans, including Medicaid, Medicaid waivers, Veterans Administration, and private or commercial insurance policies.

Either you or your physician can contact us at wesleylifeathome@wesleylife.org or (515) 978-2777. WesleyLife At Home will work closely with your physician to set up the initial plan of care and to monitor your progress. We will handle all of the necessary paperwork so you can focus on getting well.