Definition of Assisted Living

Assisted-living facilities are a housing solution for people who are not ready for a nursing home but should not live alone. Assisted-living environments and offerings vary, but they have some basic features in common.

Difference from Traditional Nursing Homes

• Assisted-living facilities offer care for people who need help with activities of daily living (called ADLs). Unlike nursing homes that care for weak people who can do little for themselves, assisted-living facilities usually customize a care plan for their residents. This care plan will probably change over time for each resident.

Typical Services Offered

• Residents of assisted-living facilities typically need help with one or more of the following: bathing, laundry, eating and dressing. There is usually a nurse on duty to help residents who need help with taking medicines and a custodial staff to make sure residents' rooms are clean and tidy. Appropriate social activities and exercise are organized for residents by experts in those fields.

Other Terms

• Other terms for assisted living can be used, such as: residential care, adult living facilities, enhanced care, community-based retirement facilities and supported care. Independent-living facilities are slightly different, intended for people who need less assistance but want to live in a community with other people like themselves.

Assisted Living as Part of a Long-Term Care Plan

• Assisted-living facilities frequently are connected with nursing homes and independent-living facilities so residents can progress from one unit to the next (independent to assisted to nursing) as their condition worsens. This is frequently seen with dementia patients.

Recognizing when Assisted Living is Appropriate

• Above all else, it is the safety of a loved one that should be considered when making this decision. Memory loss, impairment of decision-making and critical-thinking skills and physical disabilities can threaten someone's safety when they live alone or with younger people who work during the day. A consultation with a physician who specializes in elder care is a good way to make an objective decision.