Assisted living facilities combine housing and general support services for individuals who cannot live alone but do not need skilled nursing care. Most assisted living facilities provide shelter, meals, snacks, laundry services, housekeeping, 24-hour staff availability, activities, and medication administration by certified staff. Optional services may include transportation, bathing, dressing, and special diets.

Some assisted living facilities will offer respite care, which is short-term care, while a family caregiver tends to other needs. Examples of assisted living facilities include private homes that have been remodeled to accommodate five or six people, senior high-rise buildings with assisted units providing special services, and particular wings in nursing homes or medium-sized facilities just for assisted care. The unit may be a private or shared apartment, a private room, or a shared room. Areas such as the dining room and living room are shared with others.

Many assisted living facilities accept residents who are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Facilities providing a “Secured Dementia Unit” offer a secure environment for residents at risk of wandering or elopement or may demonstrate challenging behaviors. Individuals suitable for assisted living usually have experienced some functional (physical) or cognitive (memory) impairments. They may no longer be able to shop or cook independently but have no problems eating. While bathing, they may need someone close to help or ensure their safety. They may be able to dress themselves but need reminders about when and what to wear. They cannot run a household alone but will do a lot for themselves if someone else runs the day-to-day business of a home. They may be alone at home the majority of the time and suffer from depression due to loneliness. Each facility will determine which applicants are appropriate for that residence.

More than half of all residents are age 85 or older, and nearly 40 percent of residents require assistance with three or more activities of daily living. The median stay in assisted living is 22 months, and most residents are female.

Assisted living communities provide more personal care than independent living retirement communities. Assisted living communities offer a less-expensive residential approach to delivering many of the same services available in skilled nursing, either by employing personal care staff or contracting with home health agencies and other outside professionals. Amenities in assisted living typically include:

• Three meals a day served in a common dining area
• Housekeeping services
• Transportation provided or arranged
• 24-hour security
• Exercise and wellness programs
• Personal laundry services
• Social and recreational activities

Personal care in assisted living may include:

• Staff available to respond to both scheduled and unscheduled needs
• Assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, toileting and walking
• Access to health and medical services, such as physical therapy and hospice
• Emergency call systems for each resident’s apartment
• Medication management
• Care for residents with cognitive impairments