How Is Assisted Living Different From Congregate Senior Housing And Nursing Facilities?

Assisted living fits in the continuum between shared living arrangements such as congregate housing and the more intensive medical and skilled nursing services provided by nursing facilities. One of assisted living’s defining features is the individualized personal care provided to residents who need assistance with activities of daily living or help (such as reminders) with medications. Assisted living also can provide a structured setting for residents who are experiencing memory loss and other symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

Many consumers and their families choose assisted living because it values the independence and dignity of individual residents while providing cost effective and needed services in a home-like environment. Assisted living, however, does not provide the 24 hour skilled medical services of a nursing facility and should be selected based on a careful assessment of an individual's medical status and functional ability.