An assisted living residence is a type of care center for senior citizens who are no longer able to live independently but do not require the 24/7 care provided by a nursing home. The typical assisted living resident may need help with things like preparing a meal, taking a shower, or managing medications, but is otherwise able to live without care and supervision. In Texas, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are known as personal care facilities. Facilities caring for four people or fewer do not require a license; those taking care of five or more people must seek licensing through the state.
The first assisted living residence opened in the 1980's. This was a time when several social trends converged. First, people were living longer and staying healthier. Second, families were more frequently separated by many miles so that no one was available to meet the care needs of a senior relative. Finally, nursing facilities were still perceived as crowded institutions that did not allow for privacy or dignity. ALFs provided an atmosphere that was more like an apartment complex than a hospital. Most people in ALFs had private rooms or apartments. ALFs also provided opportunities for socialization and outings.
More than one million people in the United States currently call an assisted living residence home. Some of these people have cognitive impairments due to diseases such as Alzheimer's, others are physically impaired but cognitively intact, and still others suffer from both kinds of impairments. Texas is home to 830 licensed and 4000 unlicensed personal care facilities.
Assisted living facilities provide their clients with a room or an apartment and three nutritionally balanced meals each day. The staff is also available to help with care needs. The most common needs expressed by ALF residents are help with keeping track of medications, help with bathing and showering, and help with dressing and toileting. Some facilities that provide care for more impaired individuals also assist with eating and getting to and from a wheelchair.
Like an apartment complex, a facility charges a basic rate for each room or apartment, with single rooms and studios being the least expensive. The facility then charges extra for the care required by each person. Most facilities express different care levels in "points"--the higher the points, the greater the additional cost.
For instance, in Austin, Texas, ALFs charge an average of $1500 per month for room and board alone. Once you figure in the services most people need, that cost goes up by about $500 per month. These costs are still less expensive than the costs of nursing homes which, in the Austin regions, charge an average of $3000 to $4000 each month.
Although some 90% of ALF residents nation wide pay for their care out-of-pocket, Texas was one of the first two states to pass legislation allowing Medicaid to cover the cost of an assisted living residence through its Community-Based Alternatives program. This program helps over 20,000 Texans who would not be able to afford assisted living care otherwise.
Assisted living is not an appropriate care option for everyone. Those who live in an ALF must be able to comprehend emergency instructions (e. G., "Go out that door and wait for me on the sidewalk."), and must be able to evacuate themselves from a dangerous situation such as a burning building. Assisted living is also not an appropriate option for anyone who requires 24/7 care and supervision nor is it a good choice for people who require invasive procedures, such as IV medications, as part of their care. - 42631
The first assisted living residence opened in the 1980's. This was a time when several social trends converged. First, people were living longer and staying healthier. Second, families were more frequently separated by many miles so that no one was available to meet the care needs of a senior relative. Finally, nursing facilities were still perceived as crowded institutions that did not allow for privacy or dignity. ALFs provided an atmosphere that was more like an apartment complex than a hospital. Most people in ALFs had private rooms or apartments. ALFs also provided opportunities for socialization and outings.
More than one million people in the United States currently call an assisted living residence home. Some of these people have cognitive impairments due to diseases such as Alzheimer's, others are physically impaired but cognitively intact, and still others suffer from both kinds of impairments. Texas is home to 830 licensed and 4000 unlicensed personal care facilities.
Assisted living facilities provide their clients with a room or an apartment and three nutritionally balanced meals each day. The staff is also available to help with care needs. The most common needs expressed by ALF residents are help with keeping track of medications, help with bathing and showering, and help with dressing and toileting. Some facilities that provide care for more impaired individuals also assist with eating and getting to and from a wheelchair.
Like an apartment complex, a facility charges a basic rate for each room or apartment, with single rooms and studios being the least expensive. The facility then charges extra for the care required by each person. Most facilities express different care levels in "points"--the higher the points, the greater the additional cost.
For instance, in Austin, Texas, ALFs charge an average of $1500 per month for room and board alone. Once you figure in the services most people need, that cost goes up by about $500 per month. These costs are still less expensive than the costs of nursing homes which, in the Austin regions, charge an average of $3000 to $4000 each month.
Although some 90% of ALF residents nation wide pay for their care out-of-pocket, Texas was one of the first two states to pass legislation allowing Medicaid to cover the cost of an assisted living residence through its Community-Based Alternatives program. This program helps over 20,000 Texans who would not be able to afford assisted living care otherwise.
Assisted living is not an appropriate care option for everyone. Those who live in an ALF must be able to comprehend emergency instructions (e. G., "Go out that door and wait for me on the sidewalk."), and must be able to evacuate themselves from a dangerous situation such as a burning building. Assisted living is also not an appropriate option for anyone who requires 24/7 care and supervision nor is it a good choice for people who require invasive procedures, such as IV medications, as part of their care. - 42631
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