What Services Are Offered at Assisted Living Facilities?
Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on May 16, 2017
What Services Are Offered at Assisted Living Facilities?
Learn more about assisted living services for seniors.
When older adults have a disability or chronic illness, they might need daily support and help with meals, medication management, dressing, and other activities. They may not require support as intensive as that offered in a nursing home, but they need more assistance than what is available at home.
Assisted living facilities are a part of the continuum of long-term care services that provide help with daily activities to older adults. Assisted living is one level of care above independent living. Independent living facilities consist of any form of housing that caters to residents ages 55 and up.
While the focus of assisted living facilities are to enable seniors to live fairly independently, these facilities also offer a variety of services that contribute to the health and safety of residents. The specific services offered vary from one community to another because licensing and regulation requirements are different in each state. However, there are some standard options for you to choose from. Generally speaking, assisted living facilities provide basic medical monitoring and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as the following:
- Dressing
- Bathing
- Shopping
- Using the telephone
- Toileting
- Bathing
- Hygiene
Typically, residents receive three prepared meals per day and help with light housekeeping and laundry. They may also have access to events, activities, trips, a fitness center, post office, transportation, and beauty salon. Assisted living homes may also coordinate services offered by external health care providers.
Assisted living offers the best of both worlds because residents have a lot of independence but they also know that they have help and support when it’s needed. Ranging from standalone residences to large campuses, assisted living facilities offer a home-like environment with apartments, such as studios and one-bedrooms. The apartments usually have a kitchenette with a refrigerator and microwave.
Individualized Services
Assisted living facilities typically tailor their care plans that meet each resident’s physical and psychosocial needs. The care plan is usually reviewed and updated on a regular basis by staff. There’s often a resident care coordinator who is tasked with developing and implementing the care plan, as well as evaluating its progress.
In many assisted living communities, residents are able to age in place. In other words, there is care available on-site, so the residents can just remain at the facility as the level of care they need increases.
Become an Assisted Living Resident Today
Are you looking for an assisted living facility for yourself or a loved one? Start enjoying the perks of assisted living today. Senior Living Link is an online directory that makes it easier for you to find assisted living homes in your area that offer the level of service you or your loved one needs. Find senior services now!