What is Assisted Living?
On this website, we use the term "assisted living" as a general business description for communities that provide
some level of assistance with daily living activities. This generic term is not intended to indicate whether any
particular facility meets applicable State requirements with respect to providing a particular level of care. We
strongly recommend that, when considering any community, you request to see their state license and/or contact your
state's licensing authority for clarification on license type and the services they are able to provide.
Assisted living communities or assisted living facilities (ALFs) help promote health, safety and well-being among
the senior residents that live there. Assisted living was developed as a type of
senior housing
to provide housing, health care and personal care services to seniors in need of assistance with activities of daily
living in a more independent environment than a traditional nursing home.
There are over 36,000 assisted living options to choose from in the United States. You can narrow your search for
assisted living options by completing the form below. A local Eldercare Advisor will help you find the right
assisted living community based on your needs.
Among assisted living communities there is a wide variation in the level of care that may be provided. Some assisted
living communities specialize in providing a supportive and safe environment for seniors who are largely independent
but need some minor periodic assistance with activities of daily living or medication management. It is sometimes
difficult to convince seniors who fall into this category that they need the services of a skilled assisted living
facility. Educate yourself about
some of the myths that paralyze seniors from making the move, and learn more about
how to finance the cost of assisted
living. We have provided an
assisted living cost analysis spreadsheet to help you figure out whether assisted living costs more or less than
living at home.
Other assisted living providers have designed their services specifically for the very frail elderly who need a very
high level of assistance on a daily basis. These assisted living facilities have become a substitute for nursing homes
and frequently provide many, though not all, of the same care services as a skilled nursing facility. It is important
to know what type of environment each assisted living community caters to so that your loved one will be most
comfortable. We provide some guidelines to
help you decide which would be better for your loved one: assisted living or a skilled nursing home.
If you are in the process of touring assisted living facilities, we also offer an
assisted living checklist
to help you assess assisted living facilities.
