Assisted living or residential care facilities are the most commonly-known care community options that provide non-medical or personal care services. Typically these communities will have at least six units, but average between 20-100 units. Assisted living communities usually provide individual rooms or apartments, and many larger facilities have options for multiple rooms, amenities and activities. An assisted living community can be a great option for someone looking for 24/7 care and service that allows them to retain an active, independent and social lifestyle.
Assisted living communities can differ in the range of services they provide. Some offer very specialized services for particular needs while other provide a wide array of services and may even have multiple buildings for varying levels of care. Some of the types of services provided can include:
- Personal Care or Activities of Daily Living (ADL)
- Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)
- Dementia or Memory Care
- Specialized Care Needs
Features of Assisted Living Facilities
Assisted living facilities amenities and living arrangements cross the spectrum of options. Companies specializing in assisted or senior living communities have responded to the growth in the senior market by offering a wider range of services and designing attractive facilities to accommodate seniors who still have independent and active lifestyles. This allows seniors to be selective and tailor their decisions around which community will best meet their needs and personal tastes. Some features you might see in an assisted living community include:
- Apartment options from studio to multi-room, and even shared arrangements.
- Dining room or restaurant-style dining
- Fitness centers and classes
- Arranged entertainment
- Beauty and hair salons
- Gaming rooms
- Regular and special event transportation
Benefits of Assisted Living Communities:
The most obvious benefit of an assisted living community is that once you’re there, most everything is taken care of. From meals to house cleaning, most daily living tasks are handled by staff, allowing residents to relax and enjoy the amenities of the facility. Some benefits of the assisted living lifestyle include:
- Apartment-style living, maintaining independence and choice
- Meals, housekeeping and laundry provided
- 24/7 care and service availability
- Staff call systems in rooms
- Responsiveness to changes in condition
- Trained staff
- Nurses typically on schedule
- Physician visits (in some cases)
- Social environment
- Safety and security
- Most states require background checks for care providers