Senior Housing Alternatives

Do the kids get nervous and change the subject when you suggest that the bonus room they just completed would make a lovely grandparents' suite someday? 

Did your mother-in-law bring wallpaper samples and paint chips on her last visit?

Don't panic. Today's column covers senior housing options in San Ramon.

If you're looking for a community that includes supportive services, it is useful to understand the three distinct levels of service available:

Independent living within a senior community typically includes meals, daily check up and bed making, personal laundry, linen changing, weekly housekeeping, daily transportation and organized social activities. In this setting, residents are entirely independent, may prepare meals in their own kitchen and typically come and go freely.

Assisted living encompasses a range of additional services unique to each individual. These may include help with dressing, bathing, grooming and medication management. To qualify for assisted living, a physician's report is required to detail which special services are needed.

Board and care or skilled nursing facilities provide a level of care that can be administered by licensed nurses only. Examples of skilled nursing needs include complex wound dressings, rehabilitation, tube feedings or rapidly changing health status.

Independent Living Options in San Ramon:

Sunny Glen Senior Community, located off Alcosta Blvd., is the only subdivision in San Ramon with a deed restriction of age 55 and older. 

Built in 1963, Sunny Glen is made up of two- and three-bedroom single family detached homes, and one- and two-bedroom condominiums and townhouses.

Residents pay an annual homeowners association fee that covers maintenance of the shared amenities, which include a pool, exercise room, game room and bocce ball court. Organized events open to residents are held regularly in the clubhouse.

All residences are independently owned and maintained. If you're interested in purchasing a home in Sunny Glen, ask your realtor about this community.

Low-income seniors will soon have an attractive option in San Ramon when Valley Vista opens in fall 2011 next to Church on the Hill on San Ramon Valley Boulevard.

The 104-unit complex will offer one- and two-bedroom apartments for rent to low-income seniors aged 62 and older. 

Social activities held in the recreation room will be among the amenities available to residents at Valley Vista. 

Developers American Baptist Homes of the West and Satellite Housing will accept applications for occupancy beginning in January, 2011.

Villa San Ramon on Firecrest Lane and Merrill Gardens on Bollinger Canyon Road also offer housing for independent living. Ssee the following section for details.

Assisted Living Options in San Ramon:

Two communities in San Ramon, Villa San Ramon and Merrill Gardens, provide both independent and assisted living residency.  

I visited both and found them to be bright and cheerful with clean, comfortable furnishings, and well-maintained interiors and exteriors. The staff was friendly and welcoming.

Villa San Ramon, open since 1992, is the oldest senior residence community in San Ramon. 

Of the 169 apartments, 72 are designated for independent residents.

The remaining 97 are assisted living units. Thirty-four units are reserved for low-income seniors. 

Studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments are available.

An important feature of Villa San Ramon, is the distinct "neighborhood" environment, favored by its residents, in which independent living is not mixed with assisted living apartments.

With this arrangement, residents interact with others who share common interests. In addition, activities are designed specifically for the interests and capabilities of each group of residents.

Sales Director Steven Eggert encourages family members to begin discussing elder care residential alternatives long before loved ones need them.

"The key to planning is education," says Eggert. Nutrition and exercise are important factors in deciding whether a family member needs to relocate. A structured community also may be a good option to keep seniors active and socialized.

Zoe Orgel, 86, a retired nurse, moved to Villa San Ramon last December. Orgel lives in a studio apartment in assisted living.

"I love the food, and the people are very nice," says Orgel.  "And I just love my apartment. It's very comfortable."

For more information about Villa San Ramon, or to schedule a tour, contact Steven Eggert at steven.eggert@vintagesenior.com, or 925-803-9100.

Merrill Gardens opened in 1999, and offers 81 independent and assisted living apartments. 

Apartments range in size from small studios to one-bedroom deluxe units. 

An area on the property is reserved for residents to do their own gardening. Small pets are welcome, too.

Unique to Merrill Gardens, says General Manger Marci Patrick, is their "Anytime Dining" program. Residents enjoy restaurant-style service anytime they like, with open seating, and a choice of three lunch/dinner entrees per day. Also included is a full salad bar, soup of the day, and quiche of the day. A hot breakfast is served each morning. And a private dining room is available for special events.

Another exclusive feature at Merrill Gardens is residents' option to stay in their apartment even as their situation changes. "Residents can age in place, which means they can stay in their original apartment, even as their need for services increases," explains Patrick.

For more information about Merrill Gardens, contact Maria Ramos, Community Relations Director, at sanramon@merrillgardens.com, or 925-831-3964.

If your needs require skilled nursing, the Contra Costa County Aging and Adult Services Department, at 800-510-2020, can provide referral information.

Many senior communities have waiting lists for residency--another reason to plan well in advance for this transition.

Visit several communities before deciding which one is the best fit for you and your loved ones. 

Ask about trial residency programs, and financial assistance such as benefits available for veterans to cover some costs.

Who knows? You might just find a more appealing--and welcoming--housing alternative than that bonus room.