Choosing An Assisted Living Residence:
A Consumer’s Guide
Personal Care And Health Services
Assisted living residences provide supervision or assistance with activities
of daily living (ADLs); coordination of services by outside health
care providers; and monitoring of resident activities to help to ensure
his or her health, safety, and well-being. Assistance may include the
administration or supervision of medication, or certain personal care services
by a trained staff person.
The residence may assist in arranging the appropriate medical, health,
and dental care services for each resident. The resident generally chooses
his or her medical doctor and dental services.
Residents who have periods of temporary incapacity due to illness, injury,
or recuperation from surgery often are allowed to remain in the residence
or to return from a rehabilitation center, skilled nursing facility or hospital
if appropriate services can be provided by the assisted living residence.
It is important to remember that assisted living residences are a bridge
between living at home and living in a nursing home. Assisted living residences
do not typically provide the level of continuous skilled nursing care found
in nursing homes and hospitals.
Residence Accommodations
A residence is defined by the scope of services it provides, not by the
number of residents it serves. It is important for residents and families
to understand what services the residence offers, as well as the costs and
limitations of those services.
Accommodations and options may vary greatly from one assisted living residence
to the next (e.g. private rooms, private baths, kitchenettes, etc.). Personal
needs and preferences are important criteria for selecting a residence and
the amenities it offers.
The typical assisted living residence has approximately 50 resident rooms
or apartments that vary in size and design. Most residences are constructed
and equipped to comply with a host of local, state and federal regulations.
Assisted living residences are designed to be operated, staffed and maintained
in a manner appropriate to the needs and desires of the residents served.
Caring for residents with Alzheimer’s or other dementias and disabilities
requires a residence design and philosophy that assure resident safety and
autonomy. Such services should be provided in an appropriate and safe setting
that adheres to appropriate local, state and federal regulations.
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