Question 1

What questions should I ask when touring a Milwaukee-area memory-care community?

Accepted Answer

Ask to see the facility's DHS program statement identifying dementia as an admissible client group, ask about its most recent DQA survey results, ask how the secured unit is staffed overnight, and ask specifically how staff are trained under DHS 83.21(2) within 90 days of hire.

Question 2

Is memory care more expensive than regular assisted living in Wisconsin?

Accepted Answer

There is no published memory-care cost median for Wisconsin or any other state -- CareScout, the primary national cost-of-care survey source, does not survey memory care as its own category. Any memory-care price figure you see online is an estimate or extrapolation, not a primary-sourced figure.

Question 3

What are common early warning signs that a loved one may need memory care rather than aging in place?

Accepted Answer

Common signs include getting lost in familiar places, missed medications or medication errors, unpaid bills or financial confusion, unsafe stove or appliance use, significant weight loss, wandering, and increasing difficulty managing personal hygiene -- especially when these appear together rather than as a single isolated incident.

Question 4

What's the difference between Family Care and IRIS in Wisconsin?

Accepted Answer

Family Care is a managed long-term-care program in which a Managed Care Organization coordinates a care plan and provider network for the member. IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) is a self-directed alternative in which the participant manages an individualized budget and can hire and direct their own workers.

Question 5

Does Family Care or IRIS pay for room and board at an assisted living community?

Accepted Answer

Generally, no. CBRF and RCAC care services can be covered through Family Care or IRIS as home-and-community-based supports, but room and board is generally not covered by either program -- this should be verified per-placement, not assumed.

Community	Care type	Address	County
Village at Manor Park	Independent Living	3023 S. 84th Street, West Allis, WI 53227 West Allis, OH 53227	Milwaukee
VITAS Healthcare - Milwaukee	Hospice	12000 W Park Place, Suite 200, Milwaukee, WI 53224 Milwaukee, OH 53224	Milwaukee
Compassus - Milwaukee	Hospice	3070 North 51st Street, Suite 406, Milwaukee, WI 53210 Milwaukee, OH 53210	Milwaukee
St. Croix Hospice - Oak Creek	Hospice	8825 S. Howell Ave, Suite 102, Oak Creek, WI 53154 Oak Creek, OH 53154	Milwaukee

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