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Assisted Living
Home-->Retirement
Planner-->Housing-->Assisted Living
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WHAT ARE ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCES?
Assisted living residences are:
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housing environments which provide individualized health and personal
care assistance in a home-like setting. The level of care available is
between that provided in congregate housing (housing with meal
service) and a skilled nursing facility. In these settings:
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residents are semi-independent physically or mentally, or frail
persons who need frequent assistance;
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services offered include, personal care assistance, health care
monitoring, limited health care services and/or the dispensing of
medications;
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state licensing and regulation by state social welfare agencies is
required.
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important because they promote independence by meeting residents'
supportive needs while preventing inappropriate institutionalization.
known by various other names. The most common are: personal care
homes, sheltered housing, residential care, homes for adults, managed
care, catered living, board and care, and domiciliary care.
WHO RESIDES IN ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCES?
Assisted living housing is often deemed necessary when you
have difficulty performing daily tasks and have no one to help you. Some
indicators are:
 | needing help preparing meals, bathing, dressing, toileting, or taking
medication -needing assistance with housekeeping chores or laundry
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| requiring some health care assistance or monitoring
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| needing transportation to doctors, shopping, and personal business,
and
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| feeling frequently confused or experiencing memory problems |
HOW TO BEGIN
Use this check list to evaluate characteristics you should
look for in an assisted living residence:
| Does the residence have a home-like atmosphere? |
| Does
the residence appear small in size and not feel overwhelming?
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| Does the residence offer personalized health care services? |
| Does
the staff encourage performing tasks yourself with assistance?
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| Do
units have a full bathroom and kitchenette?
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| Is
there an emergency call system?
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| Are
friends and family close enough to visit and are they encouraged to do so?
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| What kind of health and personal care support is available?
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THE COST AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Currently most assisted living facilities are privately
operated. This means that the costs of care are not usually covered by
publicly financed programs. The average fee, which includes meals and
personal care assistance, ranges from $1,200 to $2,000 a month. Costs are
often keyed to your level of impairment and service need.
In some states, rent or service subsidies are available. However, the
typical reimbursement rate provided by Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
is often too low to assist those with higher levels of impairment and
service needs. Your local social security office and Medicaid Office can
determine this.
WHERE TO GET HELP
There are several ways to locate an assisted living facility in your
area. Contact these organizations to find out if there are facilities in
your area:
Eldercare Locator Service
Directs you to the nearest agency on aging. No charge.
(800) 677-1116
Assisted Living Facilities Association of America
9401 Lee Highway, Suite 402
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
(703) 691-8100
AN EYE TO THE FUTURE:
Four factors are affecting the emergence of assisted
living as an important long term care alternative for the mentally and
physically frail:
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Major increases in long term care costs projected into the next
century are staggering;
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Demographically, the number of people over the age of 85 is expected
to double in the next 20 years, followed by a doubling again in the
next thirty years;
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Most older people are seeking more appealing alternatives to live out
the last years of their life; and
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Government agencies are recognizing these trends and are likely to
introduce entitlement programs that allow older people to choose an
assisted living setting instead of a nursing home.
CONSUMER INFORMATION:
American Association of Retired Persons
Attn: Fulfillment Department
601 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20049
A Home Away From Home (D12446)
Price: Free
Staying at Home (D14986)
Price: Free
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
901 E Street, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, DC 20004-2037
Assisted Living. offering Supportive Care for the Older Adult
(brochure)
Price:1 copy free; $15.00/100 copies
Non-Profit Housing and Care Options for Older People (brochure)
Price: 1 copy free; $15.00/100 copies
National Consumer League
815 15th Street, NW, Suite 516
Washington, DC 20005
Primer on Long-Term Care
Price: $4.00
Assisted Living Facilities Association of America
9401 Lee Highway, Suite 402
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
Consumer Guide and National Directory of Assisted Living Residences
Availability: late 1993
The Assisted Living Alternative
A 6-minute video
Price: $20.95
For more information, write to the National Resource and Policy Center
on Housing and Long Term Care, USC, Andrus
Gerontology Center, Los Angeles, CA
90089-0191. |
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