By Jan Landon
ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Just like other Erickson communities, life will revolve around staying healthy and involved at Tallgrass Creek in Overland Park.

With a day-to-day focus on fitness and with so many interests and pursuits, residents will thrive in their new lifestyle. But now and then people may need a little extra help, and home support services offer a safety net of assistance.

Problem solvers
“We like to think of ourselves as problem solvers,” says Dottie Arnold,  assistant director of Home Support for Erickson Retirement Communities.

Services offered in homes range from dog walking to short-term extended care to assistance with maintenance of chronic illnesses.

While many residents will never need these services, still people need to ask questions about what is available, Arnold says.

Ask the right questions
Arnold says those questions should include: Is the service-provider bonded, licensed, or certified? Do employees go through background checks and drug testing? Are the workers supervised?At Tallgrass Creek the answer to all of those questions is “yes.”

“You need to ask all of these questions to ensure you get the care you  deserve,” Arnold says. “Be proactive and know its there, so that in a time of need you have access to all that Home Support offers.”

Pay-as-you-go
You only pay for Home Support if you need it, and assistance is available from as short as 15 minutes to as long as 24 hours.

That assistance makes a big difference in the lives of residents, says John Harned, executive director of  Tallgrass Creek.

“Our residents will live independently and successfully, and so many of them will never have the need to move to a higher level of care because of Erickson’s safety net of care,” Harned says.

Only 1.6% of Erickson residents move to assisted living.