Tag: Assisted Living Mexico

Assisted Living Mexico, Ex-pats in Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Nursing Homes Mexico, Senior Care Mexico

Assisted Living Homes at Lake Chapala, Mexico Brace for COVID-19

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Taking care of frail or gently infirm older adults, even in “good” times, is a challenging job. For many of us in senior care it is also a satisfying way to serve, and offers rewarding engagement.

But how does one rally to protect and defend older adults living in senior communities from COVID-19, the newest corona respiratory virus with multiple symptoms and possibly an unmerciful death, perhaps alone?

Precious American senior at a Lake Chapala assisted living home offering love to a little crab

Medical experts and tragic statistics share that older adults are more vulnerable than others to this borderless virus. A recent New York Times article reports an estimated one-fifth of U.S. deaths are linked to nursing facilities often due to inadequate protection and/or compensation for staff who sometimes work in more than one building to financially survive.

COVID-19 is now in Mexico. It flowed from Asia to Europe and the U.S. first. As of April 18, 958 Mexicans over age 60 have been hospitalized and 160 have required intensive care, representing 37% of the population. (No number is known from senior homes if any, but most patients had underlying health conditions).

Inspired by the response of healthcare workers around the world and despite distressing international and local news, all hands are on deck at approximately 25 assisted living/”nursing” homes at Lake Chapala, Mexico, one hour south of Mexico’s second largest city Guadalajara.  Residents are ex-pat and Mexican retirees and do not represent typical populations in other parts of the country.

Garden area, assisted living, Riberas del Pilar, Lake Chapala, Mexico

Important note: In Mexico, there are no nursing homes as they are defined north of the border. Acute care is in hospitals only. Assisted living homes offer some nursing care and rehab. There is more or less a one size fits all approach to senior care in Jalisco state and the rest of Mexico, with exceptions.

Shelter-in-place began March 19, the date of the first confirmed case in Guadalajara. Since then I’ve been engaged by phone and e-mail with home owners and staff where I have found appropriate care for “gringos”.  I am also in touch with precious residents via phone, e-mail, and sometimes Skype.

The virus has probably been present at Lake Chapala far longer than April 22, the date of the first reported but yet to be confirmed COVID-19 case locally.  Why? Because the lake is a major destination for American, Canadian, and European retirees and/or residents who travel extensively.

What protocols have been in place at assisting living/”nursing homes” since mid-March?

First, no visitors allowed, until further notice.

Each lakeside home (4 to 20 residents, owned by Mexicans or ex-pats) is doing what it can to adhere to guidelines from Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro and his Ministry of Health, as well as to those of the World Health Organization (WHO). In a land not known for high health standards and cleanliness, and where compliance for the greater good is not the norm, it is impressive what this virus has prompted at assisted living/”nursing homes”.

Restful Assisted Living grounds in San Juan Cosala overlooking Lake Chapala

Hand washing for all, several times. Hand sanitizers at all entry ways.

Hand sanitizer on mini-tables outside every room for doctors, nurses, caregivers, and residents.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves are provided for staff and residents, including masks for sitting in outside garden areas. These items are in regular supply. This is unusual as hospitals countrywide do not have enough PPE. Outside China, Mexico is the largest manufacturer of PPE. Mexico, ironically, sent a majority of its supplies to help China months ago. There is a cottage industry in every lakeside village making cotton double fabric washable masks at reasonable cost. Not the same as N-95 masks which are intended to be disposed after each use in clinical settings and are a challenge to clean. Home-made masks are, however, a helpful alternative.

Staff has stopped wearing scrubs on their way to work.

Rooms for staff to change from street clothes to scrubs have been created. Some places had these areas before with private lockers included.

Washing machines are going all day with resident clothing and staff clothing.

Staff stopped wearing scrubs to work based on hospital doctors and nurses being assaulted with bleach, hot coffee, eggs, or beatings because scrubs identify them with the virus. From Guadalajara to Merida healthcare worker abuse incidents have been markedly on the rise. Some essential workers have been prevented from entering their apartments or evicted by landlords who fear contagion. In one city, hospital workers now live in a hotel. See The Guardian article at end for more details.

Daily disinfection multiple times of door handles, railings, ground walkways

Double the work keeping dementia care residents safe

Food for kitchens now delivered to entry gates, fewer trips out

Meals served in rooms. Disposable utensils instead of flatware.

So far, no staff shortages and no cases as of this writing. Staff is showing up, fear or not. This could change if the infection takes hold. The majority of healthcare workers are young and have families.

One building picks up all staff for work so they do not travel by bus. The ideal situation, though not possible in most places, is having staff live on campus for the duration of the outbreak. Hogar Miguel Leon, a senior home housing 30 residents in Cuenca, Ecuador, for example, has outside staff living with the nurse nuns who are in charge.

Most homes, despite the added work load for prevention and preparation, are addressing isolation and possible loneliness issues of their residents. Volunteer visitors, outside entertainment, and chair yoga teachers on campus are no longer present. There is instead accelerated collaboration with faith communities, the Lake Chapala Society, other service groups, and individuals providing phone trees and Zoom chats. Adopt-a-Senior is happening. Facebook provides various resource guides for COVID-19 and delivery services on lakeside group pages. Example: one home orders to-go lunches which are delivered by a restaurant every Friday.

Assisted living for abandoned Mexican women near Jocotopec, Lake Chapala. An extraordinary volunteer service is offered by ex-pats.

Technology. There is a sudden rise in Facetime and Skype use. Zoom conferencing has been implemented and used for daily or weekly news and events. For those who are cogent, this technology is happily received.  For the most part, there are not so many innovations for dementia residents. No one has mentioned the use of telemedicine which is on the rise in the U.S.

Culture.  In Mexico, life works depending on who you know. Owners and staff network for support with family, friends, and colleagues for solutions – Facebook reigns.

As mentioned, the majority of homes at Lake Chapala implemented public health advice promptly and with uncommon vigor.

But will the rest of the community outside these homes rally for COVID-19 and honor quarantine and face mask measures?

Is there a way to prevent unprecedented loss of life in assisted living at Lake Chapala?

Senior living homes may not be able to prevent outbreaks, but they are working on delaying them. They are taking known measures to protect vulnerable populations and staff. But the variables are many and luck is required. As in the U.S., testing is slow to arrive.

And, the virus is invisible, so prevention may be an impossible task. Staff could unwittingly be silent carriers. Local quarantines are suggested and are not enforced. Mexicans enjoy gathering in large groups, no matter what, even when they’ve been asked not to.

The song Ay Yay, Yay Yay… Canta, No Llores comes to mind for Mexico in the time of COVID-19. Sing, Don’t Cry, continue on. The words represent a mindset for suffering and profoundly sad situations which the majority of the population has endured for five centuries. The country is rich in resources. Few are well-to-do. The rest struggle to put food on the table. Singing is a way to continue every day.

In closing, gratitude to all Mexican healthcare and essential workers, unsung heroes and heroines. Thank you for your presence. You demonstrate tremendous strength and courage. May you and those you care for be protected in the days ahead.

Final note: The majority of older adults in Mexico cannot afford healthcare, let alone assisted living or in-home care. The majority of assisted living/”nursing home” residents at Lake Chapala are ex-pats, even though there are a number of Mexican residents. Each home has private rooms and baths, few have shared rooms, What’s available at the lake is not typical of the rest of Mexico where almost 900 senior homes are generally more crowded and contagion more likely.

 

Wendy Jane Carrel, MA, is a Spanish-speaking senior care specialist and consultant from California. She has travelled Mexico for several years researching health systems, senior care, and end-of-life care in order to connect Americans, Canadians, and Europeans with options for loved ones. She has investigated hundreds of senior housing choices in 16 Mexican states. Her web site is http://www.WellnessShepherd.com.

 

You have permission to re-post the article when you include author’s name, biography, and contact information as above.

© Wendy Jane Carrel, 2020

Resources:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/mexico-health-workers-attacked-covid-19-fears  Mexican healthcare workers being attacked throughout the country

https://medium.com/@richardensor_50805/a-chat-with-mexicos-coronavirus-czar-e2117a3a4757  Economist reporter interviews Mexican Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell April 5, 2020, excellent overview of the public health situation

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/coronavirus/40-of-seniors-have-survived-covid-19-without-hospitalization/  Mexican seniors who have survived

https://www.bestoflakechapala.com/lake-chapala-steps-up-a-covid-19-resource-guide/

https://www.seniorlivingforesight.net/life-after-covid-19-technologys-starring-role-in-affordable-senior-housing/   technology is making a positive difference for quality of life and care in places where it is affordable and can be implemented

www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-canada-seniors/we-are-failing-our-grandparents-canadas-trudeau-says-as-covid-19-hammers-nursing-homes-idUSKCN2253I6  Canadian nursing home situation

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/us/coronavirus-nursing-homes.html  about a fifth of U.S. virus deaths are linked to nursing facilities

https://ktla.com/news/california/socal-nursing-homes-among-hardest-hit-in-covid-19-outbreak/  list of CA nursing homes affected by virus…. 70%% of deaths in Long Beach.    April 20, 2020

https://www.helpage.org/guidelines-for-care-homes-for-older-people-in-the-context-of-coronavirus-covid19/  Help Age International guidelines for care homes

Assisted Living, Assisted Living Mexico, Death in Mexico, Dying in Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Senior Care Mexico

Corona Virus Changes Plans for Jalisco, Mexico Older Adults, Travelers, and the World

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Corona Virus is changing where we might be, what we are choosing to do, or what we are restricted from following through with in order to protect the health of others.

This is not a complaint. But it has come to signify postponing meaningful work or gatherings in person, especially with the vulnerable who depend on the presence of family and others who support them.

Circumstances have already created loss and a sense of abandonment for our elders worldwide. You may recall the sad circumstances of elders alone in ICU’s in Italy, as well as in assisted living homes in Georgia and Washington State in recent days where family members may not enter to hold their loved ones as they make their transitions.

Note: This post is being written from Jalisco, Mexico where I have been attending to older adults.

The state of Jalisco  (second largest state with Guadalajara as its capital), lead by Governor Alfaro and public health officials, is doing its best to tame the rise of Corona virus. There are several cases throughout the state, reportedly brought in by a group of wealthy Mexicans who traveled to Colorado to ski in mid-March or by travelers (foreign and Mexican) returning from Germany, Italy, and Spain. All persons except those in necessary services have been asked to stay inside through March 29 except for buying provisions or medicine. No travel unless necessary is another request. It is likely the date will be extended. Borders are still open but flights to other nations have diminished.  So far, not a single assisted living home in Jalisco has reported a case of the Corona virus.

I had plans to see colleagues in the Mexican highlands and then return home to California.  Plans have changed.

I wish to thank several colleagues whom I was going to meet with or revisit in March and early April – folks dedicated to the well-being of older adults.  May we meet again soon.

1001 thanks to Lydia Jane Failing, Francoise Yohalem, and Rev. Tom Roseillo of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship outreach in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Warmest greetings and blessings to each of you, your fellowship, and your community-at-large.

I so appreciated your kind invitation to participate in the seminar “Thoughtful Dying in Mexico” with other colleagues March 20, even though it was necessary to postpone as a form of protection for all. My topic was to have been spiritual aspects of dying in Mexico based on psycho-social-spiritual support of older adults at Lake Chapala, plus my involvement with a palliative care mission in Guadalajara.

My thanks also to the owners of assisted living homes in San Miguel de Allende and Cuernavaca who were waiting for me, as well as to hospice nurse Elena Lopez of Hola Hospice and Luz Serena, an assisted living home in central Morelia with two rooms offering American standard hospice.  I look forward to visiting all of you and writing about your dedication to quality of life for older adults on other dates.

Many thanks to Café Mortality colleagues Debi Buckland, Jane Castleman, Loretta Downs, and Darryl Painter for their dedication at Lake Chapala. We cancelled gatherings for March and April for public health reasons.

Discussions of our wishes and mortality, especially at this time of crisis, may have been meaningful for attendees, not to mention this co-host. We will find other ways to reach out through Facebook posts and more.

And, last but not least, a big shout out to my care liaison colleague in San Miguel de Allende, Deborah Bickel of www.BeWellSanMiguel.com who is deluged with requests for assistance at this time. Deborah’s colleague, nurse practitioner Sue Leonard, was to have been on the UU Fellowship morning panel on March 20.

Where ever you are and whomever you are I pray you are safe, comfortable, and remembering to breathe.  As we reflect on the health of those around us, our own health, and new ways to reach out, let us remember the greater dangers for those less fortunate – the elderly, the homeless, and immigrants on the road, in camps, or in cages.

Please remember our healthcare workers, first responders, drivers, and food purveyors.

Please consider volunteering by sending money to a cause dear to your heart and/or healing thoughts for everyone on your path and on the planet.

And, remember to keep reading inspiring stories if you choose about nail salons converting to sewing centers to make masks, the Chinese manufacturer who sent medical masks in crates to healthcare workers in Italy with a poem by Seneca, the Italians who sing on their balconies to each other, the Spaniards who stand on their balconies applauding healthcare workers as they go off shift at a nearby hospital, the small businesses and their drivers offering take-out throughout the world, and thousands of other folks who make sacrifices as they continue to show up for others.

 

 

Aging, Assisted Living Mexico, Ex-pats in Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Retirement in Mexico, Senior Care Mexico

Successful Aging Expo San Diego, November 2019

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On November 2 the newspaper San Diego Union-Tribune hosted a free event that attracted a 50+ crowd interested in subjects related to aging. Main speakers were Patricia Schultz (author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die) and Captain Dale Dye, USMC retired (author, filmmaker) focused on veterans and others.

November 2, 2019

Most of the activity at the San Diego Convention Center was at booths. Among the participants offering information were AARP, Leading Age, healthcare service providers, a cancer awareness initiative group, estate planners, Medicare Advantage Plan insurers such as Humana and SCAN, retirement counselors, senior movers, senior living placement consultants, a sleep therapy advisor, and others.

The highlight for me, related to some of my work as a senior placement consultant for Mexico, was to meet up with Miguel Angel Torres and Marisa Molina of Serena Senior Care in Baja California. I toured their Rosarito assisted living home last year and am eager to return to see their latest developments.  I appreciate their dedication, enthusiasm, and focus on quality care. See www.serenacare.net plus links to videos found on their web site.

As an aside, Serena offers residents and visitors to Baja a Full Assistance Card for $99/year ($198 per couple).  The Full Assistance Card offers ambulance services, roadside assistance, a 24-hour bi-lingual call center, discounts, and access to online medical records. Have not seen this service in action so am not in a position to comment on it. Information on this is at the web site listed above.

Miguel Angel Torres, one of his supporters, and Wendy Jane Carrel Assisted Living Consultant for Mexico at Serena Care booth

Corey Avala of www.RetireBaja55.com was also present to encourage folks to retire early and “affordably” to one of three developments he is involved with. Have not seen them.

Jane Garcia, a realtor from Dream Home Mexico was also there to espouse the benefits of retiring to Mexico.

One of the advantages of Baja California for assisted living and retirement, aside from the lower cost of living, is its close proximity to San Diego for health care through the Veteran’s Administration, and U.S. healthcare for American ex-pats who wish to return in case of need.

Many thanks for the warm reception by the San Diego Union-Tribune sponsor team!  Many thanks to the San Diego Union-Tribune for producing the San Diego Eldercare Directory 2020 available in print at the expo, and also available on-line at http://www.sandiegoeldercare.com. The directory includes listings of independent living and long-term care throughout San Diego County.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjO4FIeS-7g

Assisted Living Mexico, Dying in Mexico, Emergency Medicine Mexico, Ex-pats in Mexico, Senior Care Mexico

Wellness Shepherd Wendy Jane Carrel Shares with Ex-pats about Senior Care in Mexico, Preparing for Medical Emergencies, and Beautiful Dying

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This is an exciting fall month for educational events.

Other than shepherding families to appropriate, compatible Mexican assisted living and ”nursing” care for their loved ones, pastoral care visits to sweet older adults at Lake Chapala (always a pleasure), and coordinating the production of health books (one a translation to Spanish), there are seminars to attend and blog about, plus informational talks I have prepared for ex-pats.

Here’s a partial calendar….

October 3   Future of Medical Cannabis conference on-line.  Medical cannabis is not yet legal in Mexico, lots of challenges related to its release, but all is possible. Am keeping informed of movements in the U.S. and Canada. Some U.S. doctors are titrating down opioid prescriptions and other pain meds for their patients- slowly, by introducing medical cannabis at the same time.

Oct 16        Beautiful Dying in Mexico Power Point presentation at Lake Chapala Society.  In honor of Mexico’s Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, an overview of dying in Mexico – family and religious traditions, rituals, their origins and meaning, and why many Mexicans seem so comfortable with death. Told through stories I’ve been witness to volunteering at a palliative care hospital/hospice and/or as a friend on a village street in Ajijic, Mexico.

Oct 19        Medical Cannabis in Mexico Conference all day in Guadalajara

Oct 22       Preparing for Medical Emergencies at Lake Chapala Power Point presentation at Presbyterian Church

Oct 24-26  4th International Palliative Care Congress at UTEG in Guadalajara produced by www.JuntosContraelDolor.com, the palliative care hospital and service I volunteer with

Oct 30       Focus on Mexico Power Point presentation about Senior Care in Mexico, members only

Assisted Living Mexico, CCRC's in Mexico, Ex-pats in Mexico, Life Plan Communities Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Senior Care Mexico

Wendy Jane Carrel to Talk About Senior Care/Senior Housing at Focus on Mexico, August 2019

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I always look forward to addressing folks from Canada, Europe and the U.S. at Focus on Mexico one-week seminars, currently held every two to three months at the Real de Chapala Hotel, Lake Chapala, Mexico. 

Most attendees are considering a move to Mexico for a variety of reasons – adventure, climate, housing costs, more affordable healthcare, retirement, and more!

Placard in front of modest assisted living home, Jocotopec, Lake Chapala

The newbies will see my Power Point presentation Thursday morning, August 8, outlining various models of senior living and senior care in Mexico – government, non-profit, and for profit independent living, assisted living, memory care, and Life Plan Communities/CCRC’s. My photos of senior living options are from various states in Mexico from Baja California to Merida in the Yucatan, all ex-pat havens. 

To date, Lake Chapala attracts the fastest growing and largest community of ex-pats in Mexico. 

See http://www.FocusonMexico.com for more info.

Aging, Assisted Living Mexico, CCRC's in Mexico, Death in Mexico, Dying in Mexico, End-of-Life Planning, Expats, Life Plan Communities Mexico, Mexico, Nursing Homes Mexico, Senior Care Mexico

Senior Care Specialist for Mexico Talks about Assisted Living & Nursing Care in Mexico, and Why End-of-Life Planning for Ex-pats is a Good Idea

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I am grateful to Focus on Mexico, where I address the ever-changing topics in Mexico (and elsewhere) of independent living, assisted living, nursing care, Life Plan Communities (CCRC’s – there is only one so far with others being developed).

The next talk to the Focus on Mexico attendees is March 21 at 11:15 a.m. at a hotel in Ajijic, Mexico. See https://www.focusonmexico.com/focus-6-day-program/   Focus on Mexico offers seminars to folks interested in how to move to and/or live in Mexico.  All presenters at Focus on Mexico are volunteers.

On Friday, March 29, I will be speaking at a FREE community event (open to the public) at the Lake Chapala Society Sala in Ajijic at Lake Chapala, Mexico at 2:00 p.m. on Why End-of-Life Planning is a Good Idea for Ex-Pats in Mexico.

Veladoras for Guadalupe and those we’ve lost, Mexico City Cathedral

Here below are links to articles I have written on the above-referenced subjects:

https://wellnessshepherd.com/2018/09/11/why-creating-an-end-of-life-plan-for-expats-in-mexico-is-a-good-idea/ 

https://www.seniorhousingforum.net/blog/2016/8/3/will-mexico-solve-senior-living-affordability-problem   

https://wellnessshepherd.com/2017/10/10/guidelines-for-choosing-assisted-livingnursing-care-in-mexico/

Wendy Jane Carrel, M.A., a Spanish-speaking senior care specialist, has spent over seven years traveling province to province in Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico researching senior living options. She acts as an advisor or liaison for those who wish assistance negotiating health systems, senior care options, end-of-life care, and disposition of remains.

 

 

 

 

Assisted Living Mexico, Health & Wellness Mexico, Living Abroad, Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Nursing Homes Mexico, Senior Care Mexico

Wendy Jane Carrel Speaks on Mexican Assisted Living, Nursing Care at Focus on Mexico

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Throughout 2018, I have been invited to address Focus on Mexico participants, a lively and engaged group of mostly retirees from Canada and the U.S. curious about Mexico, curious enough to perhaps make a move.

I talk about senior living options, including possibilities at Lake Chapala.

I share a power point presentation with a few statistics and show photographs based on several years of due diligence and relationship building in 16 states of the country. I review independent living, assisted living, and nursing care – what’s here, what the differences are from home, what’s missing, and what is being created for the next generation that may be in need – boomers.

My VOLUNTEER talk shares an insider’s view for those who wish to consider living south-of-the-border. Other speakers focus on real estate, banking, buying cars, health insurance, medical care, bringing pets, etc.

My next talk is the week of October 29, 2018.

Wendy Jane Carrel with Michael Nuschke, Director of Focus on Mexico, addressing participants

If you are interested to learn about Focus seminars and activities, please see their web site at http://www.FocusonMexico.com. The popular education group is celebrating its 20th year.

Note: My articles are posted on http://www.WellnessShepherd.com. Sometimes they are re-posted on other web sites. If an article does not have my by-line, it is not by me. And, I do not post lists.

Some folks with good intentions, but without senior care experience and/or education, write articles and create lists with recommendations. Unless they are health care professionals, they may not be conversant with possible challenges of moving older adults from one nation to another, where the staff turnover is high, how the staff is trained, how med management is handled, what the activities are, and other subjects related to quality of life.

Aging, Alzheimer's, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Mexico, CCRC's in Mexico, Health & Wellness Mexico, Health Care Planning Mexico, Living Abroad, Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Senior Care Mexico

Guidelines for Choosing Assisted Living/Nursing Care in Mexico

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Gardens at Casa de las Lunas in Puerto Vallarta with independent living, assisted living and respite care, private pay

According to realtors at Lake Chapala, Mexico, and the information desk at the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic, the popular ex-pat retirement destination has received more than double the no. of potential renters, buyers, and information hungry folks from Canada and the U.S. than in years before. (Other popular retirement destinations are also seeing an increase in activity – see no. 3 below).

Among visitors intent on moving are travel aficionados looking for a unique cultural experience, the prospect of meeting stimulating people from all parts of the world, but more importantly, an opportunity to stretch their dollars.

And then there is senior living and healthcare, a subject of interest for most. For “sandwich-generation” boomers who lost savings and/or homes during the American recession of 2007-8, or spent savings for the education of millennial children or grandchildren, many are finding there may be little left for themselves or parents if assisted living or nursing care are ever required.

An added concern is that funding for Medicare and Medicaid in the U.S. are currently being challenged.

Alma, a non-profit home for 40 residents in San Miguel Allende

If the cost of assisted and continuing care in Canada (Canada takes care of its disabled, ill, and older adults through universal care programs but there is also private pay care) or the U.S. is not an option, there are more affordable options in other countries. The closest place to look is Mexico.

Here are guidelines for looking at assisted living and continuing care in Mexico, costing between $600 USD to $3500 USD/month, depending on the value of the American dollar and the Canadian dollar vs. the peso, the location, and the residence you choose:

  1. Take note – in Mexico the terms assisted living and “nursing home” are often one and the same, with exceptions. Care facilities are not known as they are north of the border – assisted living, rehabilitation, nursing home, and hospice. It is often an all-in-one approach. Also, with some exceptions, homes mix physically disabled residents with memory care residents.
  2. Select cities or areas you wish to be in for climate – coastal, desert, mountains. (Coastal tropical places cost a little more because A/C is expensive).
  3. If the future resident does not speak Spanish, seek places with ex-pat communities and English-speaking locals who are often a source of volunteers – Baja California Norte (Ensenada, Rosarito Beach, Tijuana), Cancun, Lake Chapala, Mazatlan, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta. Or, choose smaller places such as Merida, and San Miguel Allende. Some care homes have all foreigners as residents, others locals and foreigners together. Usually one person on staff speaks English, sometimes more than one.
  4. Do the due diligence. Research places and determine costs. Most assisted living and “nursing homes” catering to foreigners have web sites in English easily found on Google Search.
  5. Consider private pay homes and non-profits, as well as residences run by nuns whether you are Catholic or not. Nuns often (but not always) provide quality care as most are nurses with a mission to serve, plus costs tend to be what Mexicans would pay if price is a consideration. Another level of care is found in government homes, some pleasant others not; some accept foreigners with residency cards. There are differences in every region of the country, and there are no rules.
  6. Note: no two places will be alike – financially, environmentally, socially, and in terms of care. Homes are not regulated with the strict standards one is accustomed to in Canada and the U.S.  However, there are places with quality care and high standards.
  7. Conduct site visits. Assess for yourself what might be an acceptable match in terms of environment and people. Would you or your loved one feel comfortable and safe? Do you like the space, the staff?  How are you welcomed? Do residents seem cared for or are they alone in “God’s waiting room” without attention and activities? Ask residents what they like best and what they don’t like. How clean is the home? Standards differ from place to place. Arrive at meal time… is there enough assistance for each resident? Is food fresh, nutritious, and nicely presented? Is it food you would or could eat? Does the home prepare meals compatible with health challenges? What about care plans and medication management? What about emergencies? How are these matters handled?
Patio at a private pay “nursing” home, Casa Nostra, at Lake Chapala

 

Casa de los Abuelos DIF (government) home for seniors, Morelia – these homes are intended for Mexican nationals but on occasion persons with residency visas who pay are accepted, depends on the place and availability

There are no simple answers for selection.

Ideally, we would all have perfect health to our last days and an abundance of funds which would allow us to receive the best possible care wherever we choose to live.

Note: CCRC’s (Continuing Care Retirement Communities, from independent living to demise), now referred to as Life Plan Communities, have not arrived in Mexico, with one exception. There are plans in the works for Life Plan Communities in Baja California, Cancun, and at Lake Chapala from American, Canadian, Mexican, and Spanish developers.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=6lYA7c1Pnuo   Ajijic, Mexico video 2017

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/foreign-retirees-flocking-mexico/

https://www.seniorhousingforum.net/blog/2016/8/3/will-mexico-solve-senior-living-affordability-problem

Aging, Alzheimer's, Assisted Living, Expats, Health & Wellness Mexico, Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Retirement, Senior Care Mexico, Senior Living

Senior Care/Senior Living Options at Lake Chapala, Mexico

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Not long ago I addressed a group of Canadians and Americans at an Open Circle chat at the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic, Mexico. Most of the attendees were full-time residents with the lay of the land, but curious newcomers attended as well.

The most meaningful part of the presentation?  Introducing American and Mexican senior living owners to the audience. After the chat they were able to become acquainted with one another.

In the photo below, four Mexican registered nurse owners are represented. I am the person holding the microphone.

FotoSeniorLivingProvidersLakeChapala
Senior Care Specialist Wendy Jane Carrel introduces owners of Senior Homes at Lake Chapala to Americans and Canadians

Senior Housing Forum posted my article based on the talk.. See http://tinyurl.com/zoz9zdf or https://www.seniorhousingforum.net/blog/2016/8/3/will-mexico-solve-senior-living-affordability-problem  to read the entire piece, or,  read below…

Will Mexico Solve the Senior Living Affordability Problem?

Published on Wed, 08/03/2016 – 4:55pm

By Wendy Jane Carrel, wellnessshepherd.com

If you cannot afford healthcare or retirement in Canada or the U.S., what are your options? Where do you look?

For the last five decades, and especially since the U.S. economic challenges that became apparent in 2007-2008, retirees have been choosing destinations in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Despite news about crime and drug cartels, Mexico reigns as the number one choice for most American and Canadians, primarily because of its lower costs, warmer weather, health care choices, and location so close to home.

According to U.S. Consulates in Mexico there is a current count of between 1.2 – 1.4 million Americans living in Baja California, Cancun, Lake Chapala, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, San Miguel Allende, and other areas. (The number also includes Americans who are not retired). According to the Canadian Consulate in Guadalajara and the Canadians Abroad Registry, approximately 10,000 Canadians are registered in high season and 1,500 are registered as retired full time in Mexico. Not all Canadians register.

Choices for senior living in Mexico are not all that dissimilar to those in Canada and the U.S.:

  • Aging in Place – independent living in your own home or apartment

  • Aging in Community – co-housing

  • Assisted Living – if you require care and cannot afford full-time care at home

  • Nursing Care and Rehabilitation

Lake Chapala

Currently, at Lake Chapala, Mexico there are in the neighborhood of 20,000 retired Americans and Canadians.

North shore Lake Chapala, which includes the communities of Ajijic, Chapala, Jocotepec, San Antonio, and San Juan Cosala (40 minutes drive time from one end of north shore to the other), has several options for senior living with others being planned.

What is different from Canada and the U.S. is the cost of living, especially for health care, often up to two-thirds less.

What is also different is that there are no Life Planning (continuing care) models at Lake Chapala. A project was planned three years ago and has yet to be built. There is one, however, that will open in Mexico City sometime this fall.

Another difference is that in Canada and the U.S. Alzheimer’s and dementia patients are in separate areas on a campus. In most of Mexico, dementia patients are living and sharing the same space with older adults who have mobility issues, not dementia issues, and the care is rarely specialized.

Mexican senior homes are under the purview of the Ministry of Public Health and local fire departments. They are not tightly regulated and inspected as they are in Canada and the U.S.

What is available at Lake Chapala now?

  • Three co-housing/independent living options – one in Ajijic with three individual apartments and five casitas, a pool, lakeside views, and two meals a day; one in Riberas del Pilar on two levels where residents have their own apartment, are provided with two meals a day, and have access to a library, a gym, and a pool; and one in San Juan Cosala, focusing on health, green living, and sustainability.

    At the first two if you become immobile or develop serious health issues you would need to move. At the property in San Juan Cosala (in development) you can invite caregivers to your living quarters.

  • Three assisted living homes specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia care – one is run by a geriatrician and a nurse, the other two by nurses with doctors on call. One of these homes plans to add a second home in the near future for a total of four dedicated Alzheimer’s care homes at the lake to meet the growing need.

  • Six homes combine assisted living, nursing and some rehabilitation.

    That number climbs to seven if you include two rooms above the offices of a physician in Ajijic (no rehab), and 9 if you include one owner who has three homes (no rehab).

    It climbs to 10 choices with an American-owned recovery care center for plastic surgery (more like a B & B) where you can also rent suites. The recovery center has been in existence for almost 20 years.

    The total number of choices reaches 11 if you include a low-income senior home in Chapala which also has Mexican residents.

  • Four properties have owners who live on site. These properties are either American- or Canadian-owned, or, owned by English-speaking Mexicans who focus on serving the expat community. There usually is one person who speaks English at the senior living options at Lake Chapala.

The above-mentioned places are private pay. Monthly costs for private pay assisted living at Lake Chapala range between $1,000 and $2,000 U.S. per month except for the home in Chapala. (The average U.S. private pay is $3200-$3500, and up to $12,000/month or more for Alzheimer’s care).

Most care homes at the lake have 12 or fewer residents. Service is considered personalized. In many instances there is the quality of “carino,” caregivers treating you like a lovable member of the family.

There are 125 senior living homes in the state of Jalisco, housing 1,723 elders. These numbers include only Mexican citizens. Not included are Americans and Canadians at Lake Chapala or in Puerto Vallarta. There are approximately 758,000 older adults in Jalisco state.

In Guadalajara, an hour from Lake Chapala, there are three models of senior care – private pay, non-profit care primarily with nuns (usually excellent quality), and government care (usually DIF, a social services entity that exists throughout Mexico). Prices range from gratis for the indigent to around $400-$800 U.S. for those with pensions, and up to $3500 U.S. for private pay.

Note: I have met Americans with incomes of $600 or less/month who are living comfortably and safely in Mexican assisted living homes throughout the country.

Resources:

Canadian retirees make new homes in Mexico

Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia National Institute of Statistics and Geography

US State Department – Relations with Mexico

* Cover photo of Lake Chapala courtesy of en.wikipedia.org
** Map of Lake Chapala region courtesy of mexico-insights.com

 

Assisted Living, Health & Wellness Mexico, Mexico Senior Living, Retirement, Senior Living, Senior Services

Mexico’s AMAR Hosts Senior Living Convention w/ North American Investors & Retirees

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AMAR, the Mexican Association of Retirement Communities (Asociacion Mexicana de Asistencia en el Retiro), is hosting AMAR’s International Convention 2014 at Rosarita Beach Hotel, Rosarita Beach, Baja California, October 23-25, for North American and Mexican senior housing industry professionals and the public. Rosarito Beach is 20 miles south of San Diego, CA in Mexico.

The event focus, part of a continuing dialogue, is how to attract a portion of North American Baby Boomers over the coming years to senior-friendly, affordable destinations in Mexico with ideal weather,  health services, infrastructure, and proximity to the U.S. It is anticipated that of 100 million boomers in Canada and the U.S., 4 million will consider living in Mexico. According to Internet statistics, there are currently 1,400,000 to 1,600,000 U.S. citizens living in Mexico, not all retirees.

Experienced Canadian and U.S. senior living developers, operators, and executives will meet to discuss collaboration possibilities with Mexican developers and investors.

Among the 22 scheduled speakers are Americans Martin Lakatos, VP and developer for California based Front Porch Development Company; Patricia Will, CEO of Belmont Village Senior Living (23 Assisted Living properties across the U.S. and one in development in Mexico City); and Matthew J. Downs of the Center for Medicare Portability. Javier Govi, Founder & CEO of AMAR; Ignacio Bernal of FONATUR (a Mexican government entity which plans and develops top tourist destinations); and Rodrigo Contreras Mejia of PROMEXICO (a Mexican government trust for international trade and investment) will be among the speakers from Mexico.

Subjects will include elements for successful operation of CCRC’s, active senior living, and Alzheimer’s and dementia care with holistic/wellness-based concepts, eco-friendly LEED-certified construction, universal design, and health information technology. Topics will also include the state of MOM and POP projects, aging in place communities where services come to you, and Medicare in Mexico. (Medicare is not yet accessible outside the U.S. unless under rare circumstances. American seniors can purchase Medigap emergency plans C, D, F, G, M, or N with a $250 deductible).

Lic. Javier Govi, Founder & CEO AMAR
Lic. Javier Govi, Founder & CEO AMAR

When asked about the current state of senior living and its future in Mexico, AMAR’s Javier Govi stated, “We currently cater to the mom and pop market, the parents of baby boomers. We are simultaneously transitioning to meet the needs of boomers who have begun to retire. We have spent years studying this market, looking at the history, and visualizing the future. The important components for boomers will be wellness, fitness, and a holistic approach.”

An adjunct part of the event is the 50+ Expo and Workshops for Healthy Living where the public can learn about senior living options in Mexico.

AMAR Friends Foundation, which helps retirees find independent or assisted living in Mexico, is sponsoring the 50+ Expo. Seminars are designed “to answer questions from banking to moving belongings, and what is involved in obtaining a residential visa,” added Govi. The expo also includes product displays and music. The foundation will soon be providing social service projects for poor elderly Mexicans through its North American volunteers. See http://www.amarfriends.org.

AMAR, founded in 2007, is the first national Mexican non-profit organization committed to educate and collaborate with Mexican government regulatory agencies and business executives in Mexico and North America on the potential of the senior housing industry in Mexico.

For more information on the event go to http://www.amar.org.mx, write info@amar.org.mx, or call San Diego, CA number (619)564-4007.