Monarch Landing, a continuing care retirement / life plan community in Naperville, IL, has introduced a Monarch at Home, a home health program “specifically for our independent living residents who need assistance and want to remain living within their apartment,” Director of Monarch at Home Mychelle Benton said Wednesday in a blog post.

The program helps residents be able to stay in their units longer, according to the CCRC.

Services provided traditionally have been available to residents through outside agencies. Monarch at Home, however, can save residents money because the service can offer visits lasting 15 minutes or so, whereas outside agencies usually charge in one-hour increments, according to Associate Executive Director Kelli Cox.

And “if one spouse needs assistance, she or he can remain with their husband or wife in independent living longer,” Community Marketing Director Kimberly Giudice said.

The program also can provide care companions to assist residents with outings, personal care, domestic chores and other tasks with which they may need help. “And because there is always a nurse available, Monarch at Home can also coordinate medications, and with a doctor’s order, provide injections, wound care and more,” Cox said.

It’s also important to match caregiver companions with residents carefully, she added.

“When we meet with residents, we give them bios of the available care companions. …We also have them meet before an assignment to ensure it’s a good fit. Then, we maintain their assignment as much as possible,” Cox said. “Our residents really like that because they develop a relationship. The care companions like it too because they know what their day is going to be like.”

Benton noted that the caregivers also are Monarch Landing staff members and, as such they are subject to a thorough background check and rigorous guidelines.

The CCRC is owned and managed by Harrison, NY-based Senior Care Development and is an equity partner with Life Care Services.  

Other CCRCs have expanded their offerings to home care as well.