Common Questions about Assisted Living

The Longview, North Jersey’s premier assisted-living residence, offers personalized, compassionate care in a community that fosters independence by providing support as needed. Longview features three delicious and nutritious home-cooked meals, exquisite renovations including a 24-hour Village Café and beautiful sitting areas, professional clinical staff available 24 hours a day, personalized care services, medication management, and ad full calendar of activities, housekeeping and laundry services. Longview also features the Courtyard, a community for individuals in the early to mid-stages of memory impairment.

Here, Victoria Durante, Longview Admissions Director, answers some common questions regarding assisted living.

How do you assess an assisted-living residence?

“Choosing the right assisted-living residence for your loved one can be overwhelming because so many options are available. Most families begin the process with online research and then calling a few to ask basic questions regarding cost, services, etc. This helps narrow the selection to residences they are seriously considering and may want to visit. The next step is to schedule a tour and have a more in-depth conversation regarding needs and services. Some families look at a few places before bringing their loved one, while some bring him/her to the first appointment to assess his/her interest. Some also schedule the clinical assessment for the first visit so they will know immediately if we can meet their needs.”

What makes The Longview Assisted Living Residence unique?

“Longview stands out because we are part of Christian Health’s full continuum of care, which offers various levels of senior-life and mental-health care and services to meet the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of our residents. And since we are a small community focusing on Person- and Family-centered Care, staff and residents quickly become extended family.

“Longview residents also benefit from having access to specialized health-care providers and services, such as a geriatrician, podiatrist, ophthalmologist, dentist, psychiatrist, audiologist, mobile diagnostics, and lab services, as well as an onsite wellness center for physical, occupational, and speech/cognitive therapy. Additionally, nursing and direct- care staff are on premises during all shifts, which helps ensure independence and quality of life for our residents.

Our innovative activity programming includes art, pet, and music therapy, and intergenerational activities.”

What are the challenges of moving from your home to assisted living?

“Deciding to leave your current home and move to assisted living is often a major challenge and a very emotional decision. Some individuals don’t have family or close friends who can help, so downsizing, selling a home, coordinating what to bring to Longview, and scheduling movers is overwhelming. And some only discover that they need to move to assisted living following inpatient rehabilitation for a health crisis. No matter the circumstances, we alter our approach to help ease the transition. We spend as much time as needed to review details, provide multiple tours, offer resources, and provide guidance throughout the process. We can even meet with you at the rehabilitation center so you can move to Longview immediately after discharge.”

How do you help a person adjust to his/her new home at Longview?

“For some, adjusting is easy. For others, leaving the place they have called home for a very long time – sometimes decades – causes anxiety. Families and residents direct the process from the beginning. Some will visit once and know immediately that Longview is where they want to call home. In other cases, families and residents need more than one tour and many conversations, either in person or over the phone. Our goal is to ensure that residents and families feel comfortable with their decision. Preferences for care and activities are discussed prior to move-in so that the transition is seamless. Upon admission, staff from every department meets with the resident to review these preferences in even greater detail to develop a comprehensive service plan. New residents are escorted to the dining room for the first few meals to help them feel more comfortable selecting a table to join. They are also reminded, and at times escorted, to activities that might interest them.”

What are the benefits of assisted living to the family/caregivers?

“While assisted living is designed to enhance the quality of life of residents, it also offers benefits to the family/caregivers. We offer peace of mind in knowing that their loved one is receiving assistance with any activity of daily living, as well as nutritious meals, snacks, and beverages. Our nurses are on the premise to address health concerns or questions. In many situations, physicians representing various specialties make house calls to Longview, removing the difficulties of scheduling appointments around busy schedules and transporting their loved to an outside physician. Families no longer have to manage the maintenance of two, and sometimes three, households. Removing these tasks allows families to spend quality time with their loved ones. The focus is on the time you have together and no longer on the tasks that must be accomplished because Longview takes care of them for you. Most important, during storms and weather emergencies, families/caregivers can rest-assured that their loved one is safe and cared for; Longview staff is here regardless of weather conditions.”

What services are included in the monthly fee?

“Housekeeping, maintenance, utilities, linen service, all meals served point-of-service, snacks/beverages, telephone service, WiFi, and access to clinical staff are included in the daily room and board rate.”

Do you offer activities outside of Longview?

“Off-campus activities, including lunches, shopping excursions, trips to local museums and gardens, are planned weekly. Activities are resident-driven, so based on input and feedback from residents we organize outings which appeal to them.”

Can residents personalize their studios?

“Once a resident has reserved a suite, we strongly encourage him/her to personalize the space. Longview residents bring their own furniture, so this allows time to decide what items they’d like to bring from home and/or shop for new pieces. We can assist with delivery and placement of furniture. Residents can individualize their studios with pictures and wall art, which we will position and hang, as well as by selecting a wall color other than standard cream, if desired. And while we provide furniture for Courtyard residents, we still encourage families to personalize the space to ensure that residents are comfortable in their new home. We enjoy seeing the transition of each studio; it tells us a little bit about the person.”

Are rehab services available?

“If a resident requires inpatient physical, occupational, and/or speech rehabilitation after a qualifying hospitalization, he/she can choose to stay on our campus at The David F. Bolger Post-acute Care Unit. We get updates on our residents’ progress and work with the interdisciplinary care team on a safe discharge plan for returning home to Longview. We visit them, as well. Once they return to Longview, outpatient rehab can continue, through a Medicare Part B program, in the comfort of their home.”

For more information about The Longview Assisted Living Residence at Christian Health please contact Longview Admissions Director Victoria Durante, CALA, at (201) 848-4303 or vdurante@chccnj.org.