Assisted Living
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted Living is a residential facility that offers assistance with daily activities for people who are able to get around independently. Every community offers different levels of support, so it’s important to understand the level of care your loved one needs now as well as what health conditions may need further assistance in the future.
Assisted Living communities Nationwide settings vary. In many areas assisted senior housing could be considered independent living with added services to assist those who need “hands-on” care. Some assisted living services Nationwide are also provided in residential settings. In these settings, seniors receive either a private or shared room in a residential neighborhood home within a senior community.
Answers to the Most Common Questions About Assisted Living Nationwide
Assisted Living can be an excellent option for many seniors.
The assisted living level of care is for seniors who could be frail, but do not need 24-hour medical nursing care. They sometimes need help with activities such as housecleaning, meals, dressing, and medication reminders and monitoring. The average assisted living resident is 84 years old and needs help with two or three of the activities mentioned above.
Some seniors move into assisted living because living alone may not be safe for them due to the risk of falling, increased memory difficulty or the risk of taking the wrong medication or an incorrect dosage. Many times moving into assisted living can help you avoid the need for a nursing home altogether.
Assisted Living provides meals, personal care assistance (help with showering, dressing and personal hygiene), medication reminders, weekly laundering of towels and bed linens, trash removal, weekly housekeeping, social and cultural activities, wellness programs including daily exercise classes, social events, family activities and more!
Visions of people in wheelchairs lined up against the walls are nowhere near the reality of what assisted living life is. Most Assisted Living residents are very independent of body and spirit. Many just needed a little more help that was available for them at home.
Before moving into Assisted Living, most residents lived within a 5-mile radius of the community. Most residents have family members or close friends that live nearby and visit. Some residents leave the community for dinner with family and friends, or simply visit with them. Assisted Living Communities are not locked, it is more like living independently in their own home with the exception of services and supervision being provided.
In the average community, about 80% of assisted living residents are women usually widowed and some have compared Assisted Living to living on a cruise ship.
The cost of Assisted Living varies greatly from state to state and from community to community. Some Assisted Living Communities are cost-inclusive, meaning that the cost includes the room and all care services. Others separate the cost of the room and care services. This care service cost varies based the on kind of care and the amount of hands-on care that is needed. However, assisted living can start from $1,800.00 per month to over $10,000.00 per month in some areas of the country. Your CarePatrol Advisor is an expert in your area and knows all the services and costs associated with them.
Medicare does not pay for Assisted Living services. However, Medicaid does pay for some assisted living services in some states. Your loved one would have to qualify both medically and financially in a Medicaid-approved facility in order to receive services.
