FAQs
Provided below are answers to common questions asked about community life at Laurel Crest. APPLICABLE TO ALL What is the dining program? At Laurel Crest, we have an executive chef. Dining is ala carte (meals are served in courses) and our program offers a wide variety of choices. One meal per day is included in the monthly service fee. This meal can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In addition, all menus are approved by a registered dietician. May I bring guests to the dining room? Yes. Guests are always welcome. To ensure that good service is provided, it is recommended that you make advance reservations for your guests. The dining room manager is able to accommodate additional guests better when you reserve space for them. May I purchase additional meals? Yes. Additional meals are available at the posted rates. How are the meals served in the dining room? Meals are served with a wait staff and menu. We take great pride in the quality of our food service and the food we serve. We have several seating times available. Reservations for specific times and tables are available. Meals are typically served cafeteria-style with buffets and wait service provided on special occasions. Is meal service to my home offered? Yes. Meals can be brought to the home of the resident for a posted service fee (to cover the labor and material costs for the delivery and later removal). Is the dining room open to the public? No, the dining room is not available to the public. What health care is available? We have a 26-unit assisted-living facility available. How is the health care staffed? There is healthcare staff in the assisted-living building 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A nurse is on duty Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; and certified nursing assistants are on duty every hour of every day. Does the healthcare unit accept Medicaid or Medicare? No. However, eligible veterans are encouraged to look into VA assistance for medications, as well as room and board. What is the monthly service fee? The monthly service fee is an all-inclusive fee that is paid monthly by residents of the retirement community. The monthly service fee includes all of the 15 or more monthly bills you pay in your own home. Examples are electricity, cable, TV, water, sewer, lawn maintenance, housecleaning, bathroom and kitchen detail cleaning, emergency system monitoring, one meal per day, scheduled transportation, entertainment, and activity functions, as well as concierge services. How often and by how much are monthly service fees adjusted? Monthly service fees are adjusted on an annual basis, absent any unusual event. Typically the monthly service fee is adjusted for the following year in October. Residents are provided a minimum of 30 days advance notice of any adjustment in the monthly service fee. We are very sensitive to the need to keep the cost increases as low as possible. Our average adjustment in the monthly service fee tends to track changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).However, the CPI was designed for a family of four with children. Our costs have a substantially different basis (i.e.: labor for the various services provided.) Consequently, our costs do not track the CPI very well. What was the amount of the last monthly services fee adjustment? It was just less than 4.5% in 2004. Is smoking permitted? Laurel Crest is a non-smoking facility. Residents are permitted to smoke in the designated areas. Do you have laundry and dry cleaning services? Personal laundry can be provided at posted rates. Concierge services can arrange for dry cleaning at the resident’s expense. What is the charge for two people to live in the home? The second resident pays the fee at the current posted rate additional per month. This fee covers the cost of the dining plans for the campus, the wellness programs, activity programs, and other services offered to residents of the retirement campus. May I have guests stay in my home? Yes. We encourage you to invite guests to visit and stay with you. It is your home. Do you have guest rooms? Yes. Fully furnished apartments are available for overnight stays. The receptionist will be pleased to make your reservation. Rates are available from the receptionist. What emergency systems are in the home? There is an emergency call system in each cottage and apartment. The emergency call system is wired to a 24-hour monitoring station at the reception desk in independent living and at the nurses’ stations in the healthcare building (where staff is on duty 24 hours per day). What transportation services are provided? We provide both scheduled and on-request transportation at no cost. We have a mini-bus with wheelchair lift available for transporting residents to events, shopping, and errands. And you do not need to be able to drive or have an automobile to live on our campus and enjoy our campus lifestyle. While most transportation is provided free of charge, unusual transportation requests or needs will be provided to you at a nominal charge. What is the Wellness Program? The Wellness Program on our campus is a complete and holistic program designed to promote the physical, emotional, and psychological health of each resident. Our dining, activities, social, spiritual, and healthcare programs are all designed to work together toward improving the quality of life for each resident. And we particularly support the socialization and involvement of residents’ friends and family in our campus lifestyle. We have local consulting physicians and pharmacists, as well as a dietician and a physical therapist who assist in managing our Wellness Program. A more complete description of all the tremendous events and programs that are a part of the overall Wellness Program are described in a Wellness Program brochure that is currently available. We are very proud of our Wellness Program and believe it to be the single best wellness program available. Are there recreation and exercise rooms available? Yes. Our Activity Building is designed for movie viewing and game and card playing, an outdoor patio, and more. What social events and activities are available? We have a full-time social director whose mission is to create events and activities that you will enjoy. Our campus lifestyle will provide you with the opportunity to make many new friends and do many exciting, fun things. There is a complete social and activities program on campus. You may choose to participate as much or as little as you wish. Most activities are free of charge and are included in a monthly service fee. There are special events, such as trips to a theatre or opera, which may involve an extra charge. Do you have a beauty shop and/or barbershop? Yes. A full service beauty shop is located on the campus. The service hours and fees are posted. What Internet Services are available? Local Internet is available through Time Warner or Road Runner. Local fees apply. APARTMENT-HOMES What is required to live in an apartment-home? An agreement between you and the campus will be signed. The Resident Agreement is similar to a lease. The agreement details the service obligations that the retirement campus agrees to provide to you. The agreement details the requirements that you must meet in order to live in the apartment. What is the term of the Resident Agreement? The term is month-to-month for as long as you want. You may live in your apartment-home as long as you desire to stay there and continue to be a member pursuant to the terms of the agreement. . How much may I customize my apartment-home? You may do any custom interior decorating which you desire to do at your expense. You may, at your expense, do other customizations which require prior approval of the management. Will covered parking be provided? No. What happens to my payment for the Resident Agreement if I change my mind? You will receive a refund in full if you choose not to move into your new apartment-home.
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