Assisted living residences or
assisted living facilities (
ALFs) are housing facilities for people with disabilities. These facilities 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 their health, safety, and well-being.
Assistance may include the administration or supervision of
medication, or personal care services provided by a trained staff
person.
Assisted living as it exists today emerged in the 1990s as an elder care alternative on the continuum of care for people, for whom independent living is not appropriate but who do not need the 24-hour medical care provided by a nursing home and are too young to live in a retirement home. Assisted living is a philosophy of care and services promoting independence and dignity.
Assisted living in the United States
Within the United States assisted living spectrum, there is no
nationally recognized definition of assisted living. Assisted living
facilities are regulated and licensed at the US state level. More than
two-thirds of the states use the licensure
term "assisted living." Other licensure terms used for this philosophy
of care include residential care home, assisted care living facilities,
and personal care homes. Each state licensing agency has its own
definition of the term it uses to describe assisted living. Because the
term assisted living has not been defined in some states it is often a
marketing term used by a variety of senior living communities, licensed
or unlicensed. Assisted Living facilities in the United States had a
National Median Monthly Rate of $3261.00 in 2011, a 2.39% increase over
2010 and a 5.99% increase over a six-year period from 2005-2011.
Types of Assisted Living
As widely varied as the state licensing and definitions are, so are
the types of physical layouts of buildings that provide assisted living
services. Assisted living facilities can range in size from a small
residential house for one resident up to very large facilities providing
services to hundreds of residents. Assisted living falls somewhere
between an independent living community and a skilled nursing facility
in terms of the level of care provided. Continuing care retirement facilities combine independent living, assisted living, and nursing care in one facility.
People who live in newer assisted living facilities usually have their own private
apartment.
There is usually no special medical monitoring equipment that one would
find in a nursing home, and their nursing staff may not be available at
all hours. However, trained staff are usually on-site around the clock
to provide other needed services. Household chores are performed: sheets
are changed, laundry is done, and food is cooked and served as part of
the base rent and included services. Depending on their disclosure of
services, assisted living services may include medication management,
bathing assistance, dressing, escorts to meals and activities,
toileting, transferring, and insulin injections by an RN. Some homes
even have a beauty parlor on site. Grocery service is often available
too. Where provided, private apartments generally are self-contained;
i.e., they have their own bedroom and bathroom, and may have a separate
living area or small kitchen. Registered nurses and license practical
nurses are available by phone or e-mail 24 hours out of the day, to
ensure proper teaching and/or education of staff available.
Alternatively, individual living spaces may resemble a dormitory or
hotel room consisting of a private or semi-private sleeping area and a
shared bathroom. There are usually common areas for socializing, as well
as a central kitchen and dining room for preparing and eating meals.
Typical resident
An assisted living resident is defined as a resident who needs assistance with at least one of the activities of daily living.
A typical assisted living facility resident would usually be a senior
citizen who does not need the level of care offered by a nursing home
but prefers more companionship and needs some assistance in day-to-day
living. Age groups will vary with every facility. There is currently a
transformation occurring in long-term care. Assisted living communities
are accepting higher and higher levels of care and nursing homes are
becoming a place for those undergoing rehabilitation after a hospital
stay or are individuals who need extensive assistance. Many assisted
living communities now accept individuals who need assistance with all
activities of daily living.
The
Assisted Living Federation of America reports that the average age of assisted living residents is 86.9 years (female average age, 87.3; male average age, 85.7). Female residents (73.6%) outnumber male residents by almost 3 to 1.
The majority (76.6%) of assisted living residents are widowed,
and just over 12% are still married or have a significant other.
The average length of stay for assisted living residents is 28.3 months (the median is 21.0 months).
Special needs
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.
More recently built facilities are designed with an emphasis on ease
of use for disabled people. Bathrooms and kitchens are designed with wheelchairs and walkers
in mind. Hallways and doors are extra-wide to accommodate wheelchairs.
These facilities are by necessity fully compliant with the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) or similar legislation elsewhere.
The socialization aspects of ALFs are very beneficial to the
occupants. Normally the facility has many activities scheduled for the
occupants, keeping in mind different disabilities and needs.
Many ALFs also serve the needs of the mentally ill community, primarily people with some form of dementia including Alzheimer's disease,
but also others as long as they do not present an imminent danger to
themselves or others. In the United States, legislation enacted by each
state defines not only the level of care, but often what conditions are
prohibited from being cared for in such a home.
Sweet ByeNBye provides
assisted living with two options - a residential care facility and adult foster care homes. Our services have won awards and have recently received a zero deficiency report from the State of Oregon. Located in Salem, Oregon ,
2480 Coral Ave NE,
Salem,
OR
97305
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(503) 362-5885
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