Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about living at Country Meadows

Though at times used interchangeably, there is a real difference. A “nursing home” casually describes a 24-hour skilled nursing facility for seniors who need constant supervision and medical support. It is typically more hospital-like than a retirement community since the staff administers healthcare assistance. A “retirement community” offers one or more life stage services such as independent living, personal care, memory care or rehabilitation. Residents vary in their assistance levels but do not require full medical attention. Some retirement communities do offer skilled care as part of their services on the same campus but even then, that area of the building or campus is dedicated to 24-hour medical assistance.

In Pennsylvania, personal care homes (PCHs) and assisted living residences (ALRs) are both licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; however, they vary in the depth of care provided. A PCH provides housing, meals and assistance with medications and personal care tasks. An ALR can offer several skilled care services (such as IV care under RN supervision) to supplement the non-medical services available in a PCH. Residents may be able to age in place for a longer time, making care in a skilled nursing facility unnecessary. In order to be licensed in Pennsylvania as an ALR, several higher level requirements for the structure and staff must be met. Some Country Meadows campuses offer assisted living care, while the remaining ones provide personal care services.

We offer different levels of care, each at different rates to accommodate many needs. We welcome the chance to review what you’re looking for to then quote the appropriate level of care. To get a general idea of cost and what is included in our costs, visit our pricing page.

Costs for living in a retirement community are not covered by Medicare as they are “private pay” (the resident is responsible for payment). For eligible residents* living in a skilled nursing facility, a portion of a care is covered by Medicare A:

• Days 1-20 at 100% of cost (including medications)
• Days 21-100 covered after co-payment (Co-payment may be covered by secondary insurance.)

*Based on eligibility. Coverage is not guaranteed.

No—we offer all-rental month-to-month apartments with no buy-in fee.

We offer a range of apartment styles in many configurations. We work with families to find the best fit. To get a general idea of our floor plans options, visit our floor plans page.

We invite couples to continue to live as vibrantly as they choose. And they’re welcome to do so together, no matter their individual health needs. We value the peace of mind of keeping couples together—it’s their home, after all. We work to meet their needs while spouses continue to live in the same apartment. We offer special mixed-care plans to help couples stay together while providing the care each needs, such as:

• Live independently with your spouse in Personal Care
• Support a spouse’s early-stage memory loss in Personal Care
• Stay together in a secure Memory Care neighborhood

Certainly. For your added convenience, we offer transportation to shopping, doctors’ appointments, churches/synagogues and other destinations.

Not only do we welcome pets, we love pets. We value the companionship pets offer. At any given time, we have house pets and co-workers’ fur babies for residents, visitors and co-workers to enjoy at their leisure. We also recognize some residents may need assistance in their pet caregiving or temporarily when on vacation or during a hospital stay. That’s why we offer our Pet Care Program. Just as we provide individualized services for our residents, we offer a support plan for pets.

When evaluating your options, there should be a balance of practical considerations with quality measures. To help, check out these useful articles.