There are a lot of things to weigh when navigating senior living and senior care options. Environment, services offered, programs, pricing, are just a few to consider. It’s also important to know that there are both nonprofit and for-profit senior living organizations. Vista Prairie Communities is a nonprofit organization. While both types of senior living options charge monthly fees, there are several distinct differences between them.
Staff to Resident Ratios and Quality of Care
The goal of for-profit communities is to generate money and provide returns to the private equity investors and stakeholders behind the scenes. The higher the expenses are in a senior living company, the lower the bottom line is, and for-profits may keep their staff to the bare minimum.
Nonprofit senior living organizations, such as Vista Prairie Communities, are not worried about the bottom line and reinvest the profits back into our communities, with staffing, programs offered, community environment, resident wellness, and more. With the reinvestment in the staffing wages, benefits for staff, bonuses, staff assistance programs, and more, nonprofit communities see fewer staffing challenges than for-profit on average. Consistent and happy staff lead to better overall quality of care for those who call our communities home.
Mission-Driven Programs
Nonprofit organizations are governed by a Board of Directors and have a corporate office that have strategic organized goals, often driven by their mission statement, values, vision, and the needs in our communities. Vista Prairie Communities is proud to be a mission-driven organization, our support office leaders can be found in any one of our communities on a weekly basis. We are deeply involved in the day-to-day operations and work one on one with our community leaders.
Our Aspire – Life on Purpose™ lifestyle program that we’ve recently launched is a shining example of our nonprofit organization and bringing our mission to life in a real way. We have and will continue to budget time and resources to support the growth of Aspire – Life on Purpose™ to help our residents live a life of purpose, connection, and feel belonging in our communities.
Funding Options and Pricing
Fortunately, there is funding available to help with the cost of assisted living. However, the sources will vary based on the circumstances, the state, and the assisted living community. For instance, most assistance programs are needs based, which means an applicant must have a financial need, in addition to a functional need. In addition, not all assisted living residences accept all types of financial aid. Nonprofits, are oftentimes, more likely to participate in public assistance programs, such as Elderly Waiver or CADI Waiver, but they may have a waiting list for them as they can only budget for a certain amount to maintain operations. Stewardship is a value of Vista Prairie Communities, and we take budgeting very seriously so that we can continue to maintain and enhance the offerings for those we serve, residents and staff alike. You can find some Financial Resources on our website from our partners at ElderLife Financial.
For more information about our nonprofit, mission-driven organization or to start a conversation with a senior living advisor, Contact Us today.
Check out more family resources available on our website HERE, like a cost comparison worksheet and a list of questions to ask on tours at senior living communities to compare.
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