Assisted living
An assisted living residence or assisted living facility is a housing facility for people with disabilities or for adults who cannot or who choose not to live independently. The term is popular in the United States. Still, the setting is similar to a retirement home, in the sense that facilities provide a group living environment and typically cater to an older adult population. There is also Caribbean assisted living, which offers a similar service in a resort-like environment.
The expansion of assisted living has been the shift from "care as service" to "care as business" in the broader health care system predicted in 1982. A consumer-driven industry, assisted living offers a wide range of options, levels of care, and diversity of services and is subject to state rather than federal regulatory oversight. What "Assisted living" means depends on both the state and provider in question: variations in state regulatory definitions are significant and provider variables include everything from philosophy, geographic location and auspice, to organizational size and structure. Assisted living evolved from small "board and care" or "personal care" homes and offers a "social model" of care. The assisted living industry is a segment of the senior housing industry. Assisted living services can be delivered in stand-alone facilities or as part of a multi-level senior living community. The industry is fragmented and dominated by for-profit providers. In 2010, six of the seventy largest providers were non-profit, and none of the top twenty were non-profit. Information in this edit is from an article published in 2012 that reviewed the industry and reports results of a research study of assisted living facilities.
In 2012, the U.S. Government estimated that there were 22,200 assisted living facilities in the U.S. and that 713,300 people were residents of these facilities. The number of assisted living facilities in the U.S. has increased dramatically since the early 2000s.
In the U.S., ALFs can be owned by for-profit companies, non-profit organizations, or governments. These facilities typically provide supervision or assistance with activities of daily living ; coordination of services by outside health care providers; and monitoring of resident activities to help to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Assistance often includes administering or supervising medication or personal care services.
There has been controversy generated by reports of neglect, abuse, and mistreatment of residents at assisted living facilities in the U.S.
Canada
Canada has differences in how assisted living is understood from one province to the next. In most provinces, the phrase is understood as less independent than in the United States. People often require help with more than one of the activities of daily living or the more intensive ADLs like feeding or bathing. In the province of Alberta, "supportive living" is the distinct phrasing used for a type of care that is otherwise synonymous. The province's Supportive Living Accommodation Licensing Act is a comprehensive act with specific prescriptions governing care homes licensing, inspections, and more.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. These regulations include staffing, training, and quality and safety standards. This is differentiated from nursing homes, which are regulated on a federal level and are generally held to more stringent standards. 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 homes, assisted care living facilities, and personal care homes. Each state licensing agency has its 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 various senior living communities, licensed or unlicensed. Assisted living facilities in the United States had a national median monthly rate of $3,500.00 in 2014, a 1.45% increase over 2013 and a 4.29% increase over five years from 2009 to 2014.Types
As widely varied as the state licensing and definitions are, so are the types of physical layouts of buildings in which assisted living services are provided. A resident can have an apartment, condo, private room, or shared room. Some facilities offer furnished rooms. All residents will have access to a kitchen which may be personal or shared depending on the facility chosen. The average assisted living facility is in a commercial building, yet some assisted living services use large residential buildings, known as Residential Assisted Living homes, or "RAL". Residential Assisted Living homes can vary in price and amenities and can even be grouped into a separate term known as a Luxury Residential Assisted Living Home, or "LRAL". Assisted living facilities can range from a small residential house for one resident to extensive facilities providing services to hundreds of residents. Assisted living falls somewhere between an independent living community and a skilled nursing facility regarding the level of care provided. Continuing care retirement facilities combine independent living, assisted living, and nursing care in one facility.People living in newer assisted living facilities usually have private apartments. There is usually no special medical monitoring equipment that one would find in a nursing home, and their nursing staff may only be available at some 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 assisted living providers also offer amenities like exercise rooms or 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 licensed practical nurses are available by phone or e-mail 24 hours a day to ensure proper teaching and/or education of staff is available.
Alternatively, individual living spaces may resemble a dormitory or hotel room with 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.
Since assisted living facilities are not federally regulated they follow the States Fair Housing Act. Several of the assisted living residents are not familiar or do not understand this act. Legal advocates and long term care ombudsman can be utilized to ensure residents are getting the best care possible based on this act. This information should be communicated to all residents to ensure there is no discrimination in the facility.
Typical resident
An assisted living resident is a resident who needs assistance with at least one of the activities of daily living.A typical assisted living facility resident would usually be an older adult 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 needing extensive assistance. Many assisted living communities now accept individuals who need help with all activities of daily living.
The "Overview of Assisted Living Report" from 2010 stated that 54 percent of assisted living residents are 85 years or older; 27 percent are 75–84 years old; 9 percent of residents are between 65 and 74 years; and 11 percent are younger than 65 years old. 74% of assisted living residents are female; 26 percent are male.
Special needs
The residence may assist in arranging the appropriate medical, health, and dental care services for each resident. The resident generally chooses their medical doctor and dental services.Residents who have periods of temporary incapacity due to illness, injury, or recovery from surgery often choose assisted living as a supportive option to help them recover quickly so they can return home. In the case of these short-term respite stays, assisted living residences act as the bridge between hospital and home.
Short-term respite stays in assisted living are also an option for families when the primary caregiver goes out of town or cannot provide the needed care.
More recently built facilities are designed to emphasize 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 or similar legislation elsewhere.
A study was done on how much functional assistance residents need on a day to day basis. The results are as follows, 77% of residents need assistance with bathing. 69% of residents need assistance with walking. 61% of residents need help with dressing. 51% of residents need assistance getting out of bed. 48% of residents need assistance toileting. 26% of residents need assistance eating.
The socialization aspects of ALFs are very beneficial to the occupants. Usually, the facility has many activities scheduled for the occupants, keeping in mind different disabilities and needs.