Area seniors' needs surveyed

By Rose Hooper

That need is assisted-living housing units. In assisted-living centers, seniors live together in a community environment and receive support, including medical services. Currently no such facilities exist in this county.

While the county has adult care facilities and nursing homes, plus two independent-living apartment complexes, Jackson County lacks assisted-living housing.

Assisted living is designed for seniors who have some kind of health problem that requires medical attention. Sometimes in assisted-living, medical staff lives on the premises. In other situations, they are on 24-hour call.

Assisted living situations keep people in a home setting, rather than in a nursing home, a goal of those who work with the aging. Assisted living is on the top of a list of priorities for those working to develop the Heritage Hills Mature Life Campus.

When constructed, Heritage Hills will be a place to consolidate current services and programs for those aged 50 and over in Jackson County. Along with assisted living, Heritage Hills will also offer independent living, said Scott Holcomb, a volunteer working on the Heritage Hills project. Here seniors live in individual units but receive support with services like heavy cleaning.

"We expect that assisted-living and independent-living housing will be the first phase of Heritage Hills," said Holcomb, noting that a recent survey indicated both to be needs of county seniors. Some people are under the impression that Heritage Hills is a fancy retirement community with swimming pool and amenities affordable only to the very wealthy, Holcomb said.

"I'm not sure how that idea started circulating in the community, but it couldn't be further from the truth," Holcomb said.

Perhaps the initial Heritage Hills complex sketch was misleading, he said of the plan that illustrated several people's ideas.

"It's an ambitious project with many phases," said Holcomb, "While all the ideas were depicted on the sketch, they aren't all planned right now."

The plan is to begin with what is needed most, said Holcomb, including assisted and independent living housing.

"Those needs aren't something we just said, ŚWell, we think that's what folks need. Instead, those needs are from actual compiled survey data," he said of the two-page survey he and Heritage Hills staffer Jenny James are distributing throughout the county.

"Heritage Hills is planned to serve the needs of our seniors... to provide them with what they need and what they want," said Holcomb. "It's for all the seniors in the county to use; it's not some exclusive club."

If you would like input in the survey, contact Holcomb or James at 631-0433.

An open house is planned for the Heritage Hills office on Tuesday, June 5, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The office is located at 38 East Sylva Plaza.

Back to Archive: 05/31/01.