Assisted living homes are facilities that offer personal assistance to residents in addition to their housing. Seniors who need help with daily personal activities, disabled adults who require constant assistance and those in temporary states of dependence turn to assisted living homes for care. Assisted living homes are also referred to as adult homes and residential care facilities.
Single Family Homes
Large homes can house an assisted living program that rents rooms to residents and provides the daily assistance required. Meals are served in a dining room and bath facilities are shared, much like a family. Some housing groups refer to their facilities as boarding houses and may specialize in the population they serve, such as for dementia patients or physically challenged adults. These types of assisted living arrangements vary in the level of services they provide and are most often situated in older urban neighborhoods.
Multi-Unit Facilities
The more common type of assisted living is offered in apartment style accommodations. Each apartment may have its own kitchen and bath and offer residents maid-type cleaning services or provide a central dining room where meals are served. Residents of individual apartments in an assisted living facility typically have fewer needs and enjoy the on-site help that is available when they need it.
Regulations
The federal government does not regulate assisted living homes. Instead, each state applies its own set of rules and inspection systems for the regulation of the facilities. Homes that are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities have met certain criteria, meaning that the home meets a high standard of quality. On-site inspections remain the best way to judge the cleanliness and standard of care at an assisted living facility.
Insurance Coverage
Various long-term care insurance policies cover a portion of assisted living costs, as do some state Medicaid programs for low-income citizens. Most of the cost for assisted living is borne by the resident and the family or estate of the individual. Costs often drive the choice in facilities. Some homes with apartment-like facilities can assist residents with finding a roommate to share the housing costs.
Costs
The costs for assisted living arrangements run between $1,500 a month to $5,000 for facilities with more amenities and higher standards. The location and the level of services provided play a part in the overall cost. The monthly fees typically include two to three meals a day and services such as transportation and housekeeping. Individual phone and cable TV service are usually extra, as are nursing and doctor visits.
Admission
Many assisted living facilities are affiliated with larger retirement communities that offer tiered living arrangements. Residents over 55 years old may begin the process by purchasing a house or condo within a community that also offers assisted care and nursing home accommodations. Residents are given the option to move into the next level of care over those with applications from the outside. The more popular assisted living communities often have waiting lists. Seniors might consider the investment in a retirement-style continuum of care arrangement if they think they may require assistance at some time in the future.
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