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Seniors' living options offer degrees of independence

Catholic-related options accommodate a variety of senior Arkansans' housing needs

Published: September 15, 2014   

By Dwain Hebda
Associate Editor

Dwain Hebda
Liz Lopez makes a routine visit to Christopher Homes Little Rock. The development, dedicated in 2012, is the latest in the diocese’s housing ministry, which serves low-income seniors in 24 Arkansas communities.

Seniors in the Diocese of Little Rock have a number of housing options to fit their health and financial circumstances. Among the choices are independent and assisted living as well as companies that help people stay in their homes longer.

Independent living

Christopher Homes of Arkansas, a housing ministry of the Diocese of Little Rock, provides options for low-income seniors. Featuring 588 units in 24 communities, Christopher Homes built and rented its first homes in 1984. It most recently completed Christopher Homes Little Rock, dedicated in 2012.

Liz Lopez, executive director, said Christopher Homes enjoys a 94 percent occupancy rate, despite the growth of other living options for seniors, though not all specifically directed at low-income residents. In fact, if federal or state grant money were available, she’d expand in Little Rock first.

“We’re not the only game in town, by any means,” she said. “Even so, we could use more of these in our metro areas.”

While that seems counter-intuitive given that rural areas are often hard-pressed to provide services to seniors, Lopez said it’s this lack of services that takes seniors away from some of the smaller communities where Christopher Homes operates.

“In some of these towns there’s no pharmacy, there’s no doctor and seniors would rather move up the road to a town that does,” she said.

At some of the properties, service coordinators are available to schedule educational workshops and presentations and help link residents to service providers in the community. Eligibility follows Housing and Urban Development’s Project Rental Assistance Contract guidelines of 62 years of age and very low-income status. In some cases, waivers may be granted allowing individuals age 50 and in the low-income category to rent.

Help staying at home

For those seniors who own their home, the desire to stay in that dwelling as long as possible is often top priority. This has given rise to a number of companies that provide in-home health care. Visiting Angels is one such company, providing nursing care from a few hours a day to around the clock.

Mike Martin, Little Rock franchisee, said such services are much more common than they used to be which has led to a cottage industry of independent providers. He urged caution when shopping around.

“Our biggest competition is not other companies, its individuals who hire themselves out privately,” he said. “They’re often cheaper, but they have no accountability or oversight. They may not carry insurance for liability or worker’s comp and you often don’t know their background.”

Martin, on the other hand, proudly points to his crew of 80 caregivers, all of whom have experience in the field and have passed a battery of background checks. He said recruiting such individuals is often difficult as they are in high demand, but it is one big reason why clients warm up to having a caregiver in their home.

“It’s tough, it’s a challenging situation,” he said. “We have learned to ease into things. We usually don’t go 24/7 right off the bat as that can be overwhelming. Instead we start at four hours, which is easier for people to adjust to.”

Phil Schmidt of Little Rock knows the process all too well. A parishioner of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock, Schmidt recently came through a frustrating experience trying to arrange in-home services for a family member in south Arkansas.  The process was so difficult he launched his own company, Homeality, to serve this need.

“I’m fortunate to have longevity in my family,” he said. “My passion is being able to provide other families with the kind of care that I want my relatives to have. We set out to create a culture that finds the right fit between the client and the caregiver.”

Homeality helps clients maintain as much normalcy in daily life as possible by assisting with eating, dressing, bathing or preparing light meals. They provide companionship, help run errands and often give feedback to family members or visiting medical personnel. Caregivers don’t provide medical services or even dispense medication, although they can remind clients to do so. 

“One big area where we see a need is in respite care,” Schmidt said. “People get weary when they are caring for a loved one and so we step in to provide siblings or the spouse a chance to get a break.”

Schmidt launched the company this summer and has already contracted 20 caregivers with more being added steadily. He serves central Arkansas with plans to expand to Hot Springs and smaller south Arkansas communities next year.

“I like being able to help people,” he said. “I am used to owning and running bottom-line businesses; highly competitive, fast-moving businesses. With Homeality, I’m helping people maintain the lifestyle they’ve come to depend on and I’m making friends along the way.”

Assisted living

Another option with a strong Catholic tradition is Mercy Crest, a mixed independent and assisted living development in Barling. Completed in 1992, Mercy Crest offers a combination of 100 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Occupancy runs a steady 98 percent with a waiting list of prospective residents.

Sandra Presson, administrator, said having been in the industry since 1983, she’s seen a lot of different senior living. She said as a faith-based institution, Mercy Crest strives to promote an environment of dignity and caring.

“We’re not focused on the bottom line first, we’re focused on people first,” she said. “I can go to my board with something and they’ll make a decision based on what’s the right thing to do. That’s such a blessing.”

Presson said she and her staff strive to carry that attitude to the residents of the community. She said unlike nursing homes, which largely warehouse people, assisted living developments focus on allowing individuals to be independent.

“The goal is to keep things as individual as possible,” she said. “We promote dignity by providing choices. Days here are not regimented; people can choose the time they take their meals, for example.

“We also work to create a community by providing a doctor’s clinic in the building and opportunities to shop for some items right on site. That’s important because residents are looking for a lot more options than they did 10 years ago.”

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