1. What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living is a long term care continuum that provides health care, housing, and personal care services. Personal care services are required for those people who need support with their regular activities including transferring, toileting, bathing, grooming, eating, dressing, recreation, etc. Many assisted living communities provide their residents with medication services and some special care like dementia care. However, an assisted living community can be a part of independent housing complexes, or continuing care retirement communities. Also, it can be near or integrated with skilled nursing care centers or hospitals, or in freestanding residences.
- Assisted living communities to maximize their resident’s dignity, safety, privacy, autonomy, independence, choice, and more.
- It also provides individual resident’s changing preferences and needs.
Most states regulate the assisted living community by requiring them to be licensed, registered, or certified by a specific agency or state department. However, some states may use other licensure terms with services, such as adult foster care, personal care home, assisted living service agency, residential care facility, home for the aged, etc.
2. Which Kind of Activities and Services of an Assisted Living Community Provide?
The assisted living community generally promotes the resident’s independence and quality of life by providing special activities and services. Activities and Services may include:
- 24-hour assistance and supervision
- Health, wellness programs, and exercise
- Linen and laundry services
- Transportation services
- Housekeeping and maintenance
- Spiritual and recreational activities
- 3 meals a day in a group dining system
- Social services
- Medication management
- Personal care services with regular activities
Assisted living communities to offer the residents special care services for individuals with other medical conditions, or Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. It is very important to understand and know who provides those special services, or what specialized services are they provided. If you want to know more information about care services of an assisted living community, you can visit: https://seniorcarehomes.com/assisted-living-facilities/
3. Residents Rights in an Assisted Living Community
In the assisted living community, the main philosophy is to maintain the individual’s right to choose. A resident can expect the following factors when choosing an assisted living community. It may include:
- Be treated with respect and dignity.
- Have the right to voice or file grievances.
- Be informed of limitation services and available services.
- Maintain privacy.
- Control health-related services.
- Interact freely with other residents in the community.
- Manage personal funds.
- Retain and use personal possessions.
- Be free to exercise rights and responsibilities.
- Have religious freedom.
Assisted living communities usually have guidelines for visitors because residents have personal rights. Most communities also establish house rules pertaining to the use of personal furnishings, firearms, tobacco, alcohol, pets, etc.
4. Review Your Checklist Before Signing
Your final checklist will work for you as a reminder for issues that need to be addressed and fully understood before selecting an assisted living community. You may use the following factors if you want:
- Understand the services planning process.
- Know all the costs associated with your service package.
- Know the policies and criteria process with move-out
- Understand communities responsibilities and rights.
- Know what the basic service package includes.
- Know how much notice is given to families and residents about fees change.
- Understand the service contract.
- Know the community’s procedures and grievance policy.
- Know about additional services and their associated fees
- Have the valid telephone number and name of the staff contact person.
- Understand the staff qualifications and how many staff are available in the community.
- Ensure how medical emergencies are handled.
5. Must Travel to the Assisted Living Community
When you decided to visit an assisted living community, then you should need an appointment with them. If you want to get a better sense of what life is like for residents then try to visit each community more than once. If you scheduled your tour in any community events then you will get a chance to participate and also watch the activities. However, you may ask the community manager or homeowner to the following questions:
- Are the events and activities well attended?
- Do the activities and events vary in shape and type?
- Do they include outings and trips away from the community?
