There's a lot of terminology out there. Assisted living, independent living, long-term care, nursing homes, care homes, etc. Keeping it all straight can be difficult, but this post should clear things up.
Assisted living is a general term that encompasses residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFE's), more commonly known as care homes. Assisted living facilities provide non-medical personal care in a residential setting. In contrast, nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities (SNF's) provide medical care. Hence, the distinguishing feature between assisted living facilities and nursing homes is the provision of medical care. Assisted living facilities will provide assistance with the activities of daily living (ADL's). An assisted living facility will aid a resident in eating, bathing, transportation, etc, but will not provide medical care. Similarly, "independent living" or "retirement communities" that provide personal care services like eating, bathing, transportation, etc. are also assisted living facilities. To recap, if the long-term care facility is providing non-medical personal care services, it is an assisted living facility. However, if the long-term care facility is providing medical care, it is a nursing home.
Accessible Elder Care is a FREE placement agency helping family members find the right assisted living facility for a loved one.
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