Assisted Living

Assisted Living

If your loved one needs more than 40 hours a week of care -- or if you think your loved one will need this level of care soon -- it's important to consider assisted living.  Assisted living communities are best for those who need some care and supervision but who don't need skilled nursing care. Assisted living offers a wide range of accommodations to fit nearly every need and budget, providing a comfortable and secure place for older people to live. 

Assisted living is a housing arrangement for seniors who need some supervision and help with activities of daily living such as meal preparation, housekeeping and bathing, but who don't need skilled nursing care. Many assisted living communities also provide specialized care for residents with dementia. At most assisted living communities, you can expect to see private or semi-private rooms within a complex along with meals, shared dining, kitchenettes, common spaces for socializing, organized activities, transportation services, memory care, and more. 

Residents may suffer from memory disorders, various diseases, or simply need help with mobility, incontinence or other challenges.  Assisted living is appropriate for anyone who can no longer manage to live on their own but doesn't require medical care.  The goal of assisted living is to help individuals remain independent as long as possible in an environment that supports dignity, privacy, safety and autonomy.

Assisted living settings can range from a residential care home with 5 or 6 residents to a large campus with multiple buildings and 300+ residents.  According to the National Caregiver’s Library, the average resident of an assisted living facility is an 80-year-old, mobile female with an annual average income of $30,000.  Most people stay in an assisted living facility for two to three years before moving to a nursing home, a relative’s home, or another facility.

There are about 36,000 assisted living communities in the US. Locally, around the Tampa Bay area, there are over 400 assisted living communities; nearly half of these are smaller communities of fewer than ten residents. These smaller homes are regulated by the same rules and statutes as the larger communities. This makes these small communities an interesting option for people looking for a homier environment. 

Residential care facilities for elders (RCFE), sometimes known as a Board & Care Home, is typically a traditional home that has been converted to a care home and is licensed by the state to take care of seniors. It provides a safe, comfortable and dignified environment for those who need help intermittently throughout the day and night.  RCFE residents have a private or shared room and may have private or shared bathrooms. Rooms usually do not include a kitchen, since providing meals is a major function of the home. RCFE homes generally have some common areas for socializing, including a dining area and one or more other rooms that are mainly for informal contact. 

An adult family care home is a licensed residential care home of five or few residents where the owners live on premises.

For those elderly suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other kinds of dementia the small residential care facility can be an ideal care setting. Some assisted living facilities are designed for residents with mild dementia. Alzheimer’s Memory and Dementia Care Centers include entire wings or even buildings designated for individuals suffering from memory impairment by providing a secure environment. 

These communities are staffed with caregivers who are accustomed to the impulsivity and poor safety awareness exhibited by many who suffer from dementia. The staff is trained in how to respectfully redirect the resident back to the appropriate activity or location.

While most consumers and even many health care professionals do not distinguish between a nursing home and an assisted living community, often using the terms interchangeably –there are real differences between Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing.