What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living facilities are for people needing assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as eating, bathing, dressing, laundry, housekeeping, and assistance with medications. Many facilities are also licensed for directed care and offer care through the end of life.
Most assisted living facilities create a service plan for each individual resident upon admission. The service plan details the personalized services required by the resident and guaranteed by the facility. The plan is updated regularly to assure that the resident receives the appropriate care as his or her condition changes.
How Does A Private Group Home Differ From A Larger Assisted Living Facility?
The main difference between a private group home and a large assisted living facility is the size. Private group homes are usually licensed to provide care from 6 – 10 residents, while large assisted living facilities can accommodate many more. The ratio of caregivers to residents can vary because of the number of residents, so it is important to ask what the ratio is if you are seeking more one-on-one care. Another difference is simply personal preferences – would the resident prefer to be around many people or do they prefer smaller crowds, etc.
How Does An Assisted Living Facility Differ From A Memory Care Facility/Nursing Home?
Assisted living facilities are designed to assist elderly persons who are unable to independently care for themselves and need assistance with daily activities such as preparing meals, bathing, dressing, performing household chores, managing medications or are sometimes confused or experiencing the early stages of memory problems.
Memory care facilities are for those in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias and can no longer remain in assisted living due to issues such as wandering, behavioral problems that are disruptive, violence, etc. Memory care facilities are qualified to deal specifically with these types of issues.
Nursing homes are designed to care for very frail people that are not able to care for themselves at all and have numerous health care requirements that require intensive levels of care.
As stated in the opening, many assisted living facilities are licensed for directed care and are qualified and willing to provide these levels of care to the end of life.
What Are Continuing Care Retirement Communities?
Assisted living facilities are often connected with independent living residences, memory care facilities and/or nursing homes. The combination is known as a continuing care retirement community and allows the resident to “age in place.” The resident can take advantage of the full range of services available and the ease of transfer to a different type of facility as his or her condition and needs change without needing to look for a new facility, relocate, or adapt to a new setting. For example, the resident may begin in the independent living residences, move to assisted living as he or she needs help with activities of daily living, and eventually move to the memory care facility or nursing home as ongoing care becomes necessary.
With all the different options available, there is a facility for all levels of budgets, personal preferences and care needs.
For more information on assisted living or beginning the process of selecting and moving to an assisted living facility, contact Becky Feola at (480) 419-4202 or visit http://www.assistedlivingadvantage.com.
Assisted Living Advantage 
Wouldnt a group home fall in tbe same catagory as and Alf. When i worked with DCF in we had the Alf and nursing home workers that aproved or denied there F/S or medicaid.