Frequently Asked Questions About Assisted Living
It’s important to be fully informed when you’re searching for the right assisted living. The following are common questions that people new to assisted living frequently ask.
What Is Assisted Living?
Assisted living facilities provide housing for seniors that need supervision or assistance with daily activities. Staff actively monitor residents to maintain their health, safety and well-being.
Assistance varies depending on the needs of the resident. Services range from helping an elderly resident with bathing and grooming to supervision and administering of medication. More information on what assisted living is.
How Does Assisted Living Different From Other Types Of Senior living?
Retirement communities are simply housing for seniors that still maintain all of their independence while nursing homes offer 24 hour supervision and complete care for the elderly that have trouble with everyday tasks.
Assisted living is a middle of the road solution that allows residents to maintain their independence and dignity while providing some level of assistance for both medical and daily tasks.
Who Lives At An Assisted Living Facility?
Assisted living residents are usually elderly residents who need assistance with several daily tasks in their lives.
They need help with meals, transportation, home maintenance and sometimes hygiene and medication. People suffering from Alzheimer’s, limited mobility and other conditions are good candidates for assisted living.
How Much Does Assisted Living Cost?
The cost of assisted living can vary greatly depending location and quality of service, but on average you can expect costs to be around $3,000 per month.
Costs are dependent on several factors, including the size of the living space, services, amenities, and most importantly, location. Assisted living is not covered by Medicaid, but there is financial assistance available in the form of subsidies from state and local governments.
What Services Do Assisted Living Facilities Offer?
Just about every assisted living community offers constant supervisions, meal and medication services many facilities offer additional services, sometimes at additional cost. Housekeeping, linen and laundry service are common, but some high end communities even offer pet assistance, beauty salons, and even personal shoppers.
What Amenities Do Assisted Living Facilities Offer?
The variety and quality of amenities that assisted living communities offer can vary greatly. Some facilities may offer snack times, while other may have gourmet bistros within the community itself.
Other amenities are more practical, like security and gated communities, but that doesn’t mean that many facilities don’t offer numerous luxurious perks.
What Activities Do Assisted Living Facilities Offer?
Assisted living communities realize that seniors that stay active lead longer, fuller lives. Facilities offer a wide range of activities to keep seniors going. Exercise classes designed for seniors are popular, as are art classes and book clubs.
Gardening, social events and family themed outings are popular, but activities that communities offer are as diverse as the residents who live there.
Are Assisted Living Communities Licensed?
State laws set regulations for licensing for assisted living facilities. it’s important that you research the laws in your state since laws can vary greatly. Some states even don’t required communities to be licensed. You should ask to see credentials, if applicable.
How Big Are The Rooms At Assisted Living Communities?
The size and design of assisted living centers can be quite different from community to community. But on average facilities have about 30 beds on average. Homes are built to local, state and federal regulations.