Two senior living communities may look similar on a tour. Both may offer beautiful residences, dining, amenities, and access to healthcare. Their contracts, however, can work very differently.
That is why one of the most important questions to ask when comparing communities is: “Do you offer Life Care, and what does your Life Care contract include?”
At The Stayton at Museum Way, residents who move into independent living can choose a Type A Life Care contract for greater predictability in future care. The Stayton also accepts direct admissions to higher levels of care, so a Life Care contract is not required to receive care at the community.
Quick Answer: What Does Life Care Cover?
For residents who choose Type A Life Care at The Stayton at Museum Way, the contract includes an apartment home, services and amenities, plus priority access to assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and long-term care if needed. It provides access to healthcare with a predictable monthly payment for life, and residents who permanently move to a higher level of care pay a locked-in Life Care rate rather than the current market rate for that care.
Life Care is one option at The Stayton. The community also accepts direct admissions to higher levels of care without requiring someone to first live independently or enter a Type A Life Care contract.
What Life Care Provides Today
Life Care is largely about planning for the future, but its benefits begin while you are living independently.
At The Stayton, residents enjoy a luxury high-rise lifestyle with apartment homes, chef-prepared dining, concierge services, wellness and fitness opportunities, enriching programming, and other services and amenities.
When comparing senior living communities in Fort Worth, ask what is included in the monthly fee and whether certain services carry an additional charge. These details will give you a clearer picture of both your lifestyle and your ongoing expenses.
Understand What Happens If Your Care Needs Change
This is where the structure of a Life Care contract becomes especially important.
At The Stayton, residents have priority access to assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and long-term care right where they live. If a resident permanently moves to assisted living, memory support, or skilled nursing, they do not begin paying the prevailing market rate for that level of care. Instead, they pay a locked-in, below-market Life Care rate for as long as they live at The Stayton.
When comparing communities, ask how transitions between levels of care are determined and coordinated. Couples should also ask what happens if one spouse remains in independent living while the other needs additional support.
Knowing where care will be provided, and having greater predictability around what it will cost, can remove two significant unknowns from future planning.
Understand the Monthly Fee Language
One of the primary advantages of Type A Life Care is greater predictability around future healthcare costs.
At The Stayton, the Type A Life Care contract provides access to future healthcare with a predictable monthly payment for life. Residents who permanently transition to a higher level of care pay their Life Care rate rather than the current market rate for that care.
It is still important to understand how the community’s regular monthly fees work. Ask how annual adjustments are determined, which services are included, and which expenses may remain separate from the Life Care agreement.
Understand the Entrance Fee and When It Applies
The Stayton’s Type A Life Care option includes a 90% refundable entrance fee. The entrance fee is part of the Life Care contract for residents who choose this option when moving into independent living; it is not required for everyone who receives care at The Stayton.
For Life Care residents, the entrance fee is part of a broader plan that provides priority access to future care and a locked-in, below-market Life Care rate if a permanent move to a higher level of care becomes necessary.
The entrance fee and ongoing monthly fee are based on factors including the size and location of the residence selected and the number of occupants. When comparing communities and contracts, ask whether an entrance fee is refundable, what percentage is refundable, and how the refund provision works.
Review the actual agreement with your financial or legal adviser so you understand the provisions that apply to you.
The entrance fee is not a requirement for admission to The Stayton. It is part of the Type A Life Care option and the benefits that come with it.
Do You Have to Sign a Life Care Contract to Live at The Stayton?
No. This is an important distinction when comparing senior living options in Fort Worth.
The Stayton offers a Type A Life Care contract for those who choose to move into independent living and plan ahead for future care. That option includes an entrance fee and provides priority access to higher levels of care at a predictable, below-market Life Care rate if needs change.
But Life Care is not the only way to receive care at The Stayton. The community also accepts direct admissions to assisted living, memory care, long-term care, and rehabilitation. Someone who already needs a higher level of support does not have to move into independent living first or enter a Type A Life Care contract.
The difference matters: Life Care is an option for those who want to plan ahead for future costs and access. Direct admission at The Stayton provides another path for individuals who need a higher level of care now.
Six Questions to Bring to Your Life Care Appointment
- What services and amenities are included in my monthly fee?
- What happens financially if I later need assisted living, memory care, or long-term care?
- How are transitions to another level of care determined and coordinated?
- What happens if my spouse and I need different levels of care?
- How does the entrance fee refund work?
- What options are available if I need to move directly into assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, or long-term care?
Know What You Are Comparing
When comparing senior living options, don’t look at an entrance fee in isolation. Look at what the contract provides in return, how future care is priced, and what other admission options are available.
The Stayton is the only not-for-profit Type A Life Care community in Tarrant County. For those who choose Life Care, the contract is designed to provide greater predictability around future care costs and priority access to care. For those who need a higher level of care now, direct admission provides another path to The Stayton.
A conversation with The Stayton team can help you understand which option fits your circumstances and what each includes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Life Care cover at The Stayton?
Life Care at The Stayton includes an apartment home, services and amenities, plus priority access to assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and long-term care. The Type A contract provides access to future healthcare with a predictable monthly payment for life.
What happens to my costs if I need a higher level of care?
Residents who permanently move to assisted living, memory support, or skilled nursing do not pay the prevailing market rate for that care. Instead, they pay a locked-in, below-market Life Care rate for as long as they live at The Stayton.
Does Life Care mean my monthly fee can never increase?
Life Care is designed to provide predictability around the cost of future care, but that does not necessarily mean the community’s regular monthly fee will never change. Ask The Stayton team to explain how monthly fees and adjustments work under the agreement.
Is The Stayton’s entrance fee refundable?
The Stayton offers a 90% refundable entrance fee. The entrance fee and monthly fee are associated with the size and location of the residence selected and the number of occupants. Review the agreement for the specific terms of the refund provision.
What if I outlive my financial resources?
At The Stayton, residents who outlive their resources will not be asked to leave because of an inability to pay, and their families will not face the financial burden.
Do you have to sign a Life Care contract to live at The Stayton?
No. The Stayton offers more than one way to become part of the community. People who need a higher level of care can be admitted directly to assisted living, memory care, long-term care, or rehabilitation without first moving into independent living or signing a Type A Life Care contract.
The Type A Life Care contract is an option for people who move into independent living and want to plan ahead. It includes an entrance fee and benefits such as priority access to future care and a predictable, below-market Life Care rate if higher levels of care are needed.
About The Stayton at Museum Way
You don’t want to pick just any community to live in. Choosing the right community is key. Residents at The Stayton at Museum Way by Buckner, Fort Worth’s only Life Care Community, have found a sense of connection, fulfillment, and enrichment living here, but don’t just take our word for it. Listen to their testimonials, join an upcoming event, or contact us today to see what living at The Stayton could be like for you.