Elder Care

Elder Care

By Rob Heidrick Friday, 05 December 2008

On a warm fall morning in Round Rock, a dozen or so senior citizens moved in unison, stretching rubber exercise bands in time with a pre-recorded drum machine.

“Sway to the left … Sway to the right … ” the taped voice of a workout instructor said.

A woman in the group echoed his commands in a louder and more animated tone for some of the participants who were less able to hear the routine.

Marty Rose, program director of Elderhaven Adult Day Center, looked out on the exercise group from her office window.

“We have two new people here today, and you probably can’t pick out who they are,” she said.

Elderhaven, which offers seniors a social and active environment during daytime hours while their caregivers are at work, is one of a growing number of organizations working to improve the lives of aging Central Texans. The center has operated for 17 years and was recently incorporated into Austin Groups for the Elderly, an umbrella of nonprofit organizations dedicated to senior services.

Many local programs have begun to deviate from the traditional model of full-time institutional care, encouraging instead a greater degree of family participation and social interaction, Rose said.

“I think people see the value in quality of life and responsibility,” Rose said. “I look at all the folks out here, and they’ve raised us, so now it’s time for us to give back to them.”

Meals on Wheels and other similar home-based elder care programs have endured for generations, and newer organizations have followed suit by finding fresh opportunities to help seniors reconnect with their communities.

Faith in Action Caregivers, a movement launched by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 1983, expanded to Round Rock in 1993 and Pflugerville in 2004. Faith in Action volunteers assist elderly neighbors by driving them on errands such as doctors’ appointments and grocery runs. Some volunteers offer help around the house or friendly visits to those who just want to talk.

Serita Lacasse, executive director of the Pflugerville chapter, said she hopes to further involve local businesses in recruiting volunteers, with a goal to have every business in Pflugerville offer at least one ride per month.

“We’ve gone from having an average of 20 rides per week to over 64 rides per week,” Lacasse said.

She said she also strives to spread awareness and educate families about the need for quality elder care before problems arise.

“Otherwise they’re not thinking about, ‘What’s going to happen to me when I get older?’” Lacasse said. “They’re not thinking about what to do with mom until mom gets sick or needs some help.”

With work weeks getting longer and 401(k) plans getting smaller, Rose said many families struggle to divide time between their jobs and their loved ones. Retirement accounts long thought to be sufficient are coming up short, limiting the private care options that would otherwise be available.

“The families deal with the emotions of not being able to care for them themselves, and that’s huge,” Rose said. “But they’ve gotten to the point where they’re so tired and so worn out that they just need some help.”

Rose said Elderhaven is making strides in helping caregivers manage the needs of their loved ones without having to significantly disrupt their daily schedules. While the center does not organize its own community support meetings, Rose said her staff routinely meets with families one on one to provide information and referrals for other types of care.

Rose said that above all, seniors prefer to interact with other people and maintain a degree of independence. The Round Rock and Pflugerville communities, she said, have played a major role in improving the quality of elder care at the local level.

“It’s nice to hear that you’re helping someone, that you’re filling that void in the community,” Rose said. “We couldn’t open our doors without each one of these towns supporting us.”

Senior living communities

When an elderly relative needs ongoing professional care, assisted living communities offer a range of services while allowing the resident to maintain his independence. Assisted living centers usually offer 24-hour professional care, differentiating them from retirement communities and independent living centers, which usually do not have staff on site at all times, and skilled nursing facilities, which have full-time staff physicians.

Caregivers at assisted living centers help residents with daily activities, such as dressing, bathing, running errands and taking medications. They are trained to handle emergencies, but are usually not able to offer extensive medical care.

There are several senior living communities in Round Rock and Pflugerville, offering different amenities and levels of care.

• A Touch of Home, 4301 Crestridge Drive, Round Rock, 218-0042 • Assisted living, 16 beds
• Cambridge Villas Apartments, 15711 Dessau Road, Pflugerville, 990-2348 • Independent living, 208 units
• Fairway Vista, 1017 Hidden View Place, Round Rock, 220-7316 • Assisted living, eight beds
• Heatherwilde Assisted Living Center, 401 Heatherwilde Blvd., Pflugerville, 251-1640 • Assisted living, 40 units
• Heatherwilde Park Retirement Apartments, 16500 Yellow Sage, Pflugerville, 670-7900 • Independent living, 168 units
• HomeTowne at Picadilly, 500 Grand Avenue Parkway, Pflugerville, 990-5400 • Independent living, 160 units
• Merrill Gardens, 8005 Cornerwood Drive, Austin, 238-7200, Independent and assisted living, 68 units
• Park Valley Inn Health Center, 17751 Park Valley Drive, Round Rock, 218-6000, Skilled nursing and rehabilitation, 128 units
• Parkwood Meadows, 310 Chisholm Trail, Round Rock, 255-0886 • Retirement living, 115 units
• The Cottages At Chandler Creek, 2401 A.W. Grimes Blvd., Round Rock, 218-9757, Assisted living, Alzheimer’s care, 34 beds
• The Court at Round Rock, 2700 Sunrise Road, Round Rock, 310-0002 • Assisted living, 142 units
• Trinity Care Center, 1000 E. Main St., Round Rock, 634-3000, Skilled nursing, Alzheimer’s care, 179 beds
• Trinity Place Apartments, 1203 Cushing Drive, Round Rock, 244-0366 • Independent living, 68 units