A New York nonprofit assisted living and memory care residence is piloting a 30-day trial, offering prospective residents a chance to take a “peek under the hood” before committing to a move.
Keene Valley Neighborhood House began piloting a discounted 30-day stay last week to get more people talking about assisted living. Community Relations Manager Holly Aquino told McKnight’s Senior Living that most people don’t understand what assisted living is or what it offers.
“What we’re doing is a 30-day trial just to give people the comfort level they need that’s not signing their life away,” Aquino said. “We’re finding with assisted living that people don’t understand what it is until they’re forced to understand what it is.”
Families, she said, are making decisions on the fly and have perceptions that residents need to sign over their assets or make a lifetime commitment to a community. Aquino said that Keene Valley wants to let people know that a move to assisted living “is not the end of the world,” it’s not a nursing home, they can receive 24-hour care and security, and they can leave if they find it’s not a good fit for them.
The trial offers a 50% reduction in the initial fee and the ability to leave within the first 30 days risk-free. Keene Valley typically requires at least 30 days’ notice of a move-out. Aquino said the community is located in a rural area of Essex County, so the 30-day trial is another way to educate people about assisted living and generate interest.
“We like to be the most user-friendly place you’ll ever come across,” Aquino said. “We’re extremely flexible.”
The community can house a maximum of 50 residents. Aquino said that although Keene Valley doesn’t have a secured memory care unit, it can safely care for people living with dementia. And with the average monthly cost of assisted living in New York topping $5,000, she said, Keene Valley can provide financial assistance depending on its fundraising success and the needs of its residents.
“This is just an educational tool we’re trying to use to get people to talk to us and find out how we work differently,” Aquino said.
Although the offer is scheduled to end Aug. 15, Aquino said that Keene Valley may extend it or potentially offer it again depending on the interest it generates.
