Assisted living facilities are housing facilities for people with disabilities or for adults who cannot or choose not to live independently. They are a type of residence for older adults who need daily care but not as much care as a skilled nursing home provides. Assisted living communities give older adults personalized care in a residential setting, and they are for seniors whose health or well-being requires a higher level of support, which is determined through a health assessment by the community according to state regulations. Assisted living services can be delivered in stand-alone facilities or as part of a multi-level senior living community.

Assisted living facilities are regulated and licensed at the state level, and these regulations include staffing, training, and quality and safety standards. The most common assisted living services offered include medication management and assistance with using the bathroom, dressing, and grooming. Housekeeping, meals, laundry, and transportation services, as well as social programs and activities, are typically included. Staff is available 24/7 to help with safety, care, and support.

A typical assisted living facility resident would usually be an older adult who does not need the level of care offered by a nursing home but prefers more companionship and needs some assistance in day-to-day living. Assisted living residents usually live in their own apartments or rooms and share common areas. They have access to many services, including up to three meals a day, assistance with personal care, help with medications, housekeeping, and laundry, 24-hour supervision, security, and on-site staff, and social and recreational activities.

Assisted living is not the same as skilled nursing or nursing home care. In a skilled nursing facility, residents receive full-time care by a specially trained medical staff. People who require a higher level of medical care, either short-term or long-term, need what’s known as skilled nursing care, extended care, or long-term care.