Assisted living for seniors offers 24-hour support. Although they may offer some assistance, residents maintain some independence. Most of these facilities serve meals and accommodate dietary restrictions. Residents maintain a sense of dignity and independence. They also ensure that residents stay as active as possible and maintain their homes and independence. For more information, contact your local Area Agency on Aging. If you are unsure of where to begin, consider speaking to healthcare providers or other residents of assisted living communities.
Assisted living facilities offer 24-hour support:
Many assisted living facilities offer 24-hour care and supervision to their residents. Some of these facilities also allow residents to have pets. All residents in an assisted living home are required to be responsible for personal hygiene and grooming. Enough care staff provides mobility assistance, including assistance getting in and out of bed and sitting down. Assisted living homes are generally not hospitals but many contracts with home health agencies and hospice providers for skilled nursing care and other services.
Residents maintain their independence:
Seniors in an assisted living facility maintain their independence by participating in a variety of activities that support their preferences. Many communities offer activities that are open to residents’ input. For example, residents get to pitch activity ideas and help choose outings. During monthly meetings, residents are invited to pitch new activities and vote on what activities to offer each day. Some communities even have a sign-up sheet for activities on Friday, so residents can choose what they’d like to participate in.
They provide meals:
The food service in Assisted living for seniors varies. While many seniors are content cooking for themselves, others prefer to have meals cooked by caregivers. They may be served in a restaurant-style dining room or in a common area. There are no set rules or restrictions when it comes to meal service, and most assisted living communities to allow residents to customize their meal plans according to their schedule and mood.
They accommodate dietary restrictions:
Aside from meeting residents’ basic nutritional needs, Assisted Living facilities often accommodate dietary restrictions. Some facilities have an on-staff dietitian who is responsible for preparing healthy meals for residents. Some are more accommodating than others, though. Whether residents have an unusual diet or prefer to eat only certain foods, there are options for all preferences. If a dietary restriction is more severe, dietitians can help the facility prepare alternative meals.
They accept Medicaid:
There are several options for Medicaid recipients to pay for assisted living. While Medicare can help fill in some gaps, most families are left to rely on personal resources to cover the costs of assisted living. In some cases, insurance providers will allow their customers to use their life insurance to pay for long-term care. Medicaid-accredited assisted living facilities to offer a wide range of services, including medical monitoring and personal assistance.
