Expert Advice on Assisted Living

By Jane Farrell

Here, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, are some helpful resources if you or a loved one are trying to find out more about assisted living.

Assisted living is for adults who need help with everyday tasks. They may need help with dressing, bathing, eating, or using the bathroom, but they don’t need full-time nursing care. Some assisted living facilities are part of retirement communities. Others are near nursing homes, so a person can move easily if needs change.

Assisted living costs less than nursing home care. It is still fairly expensive. Older people or their families usually pay for it. Health and long-term care insurance policies may cover some of the costs. Medicare does not cover the costs of assisted living.

If you are interested in finding an assisted living facility, click here for the government’s eldercare locator. The Assisted Living page from the nonprofit Health in Aging Organization is also helpful.

Expert resources to help with this difficult issue.

Find out about other options from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by consulting Alternatives to Nursing Homes

And the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging offers Housing Options for Older Adults: A Guide for Making Housing Decisions

Interested in finding an expert or advocate?

AAAs (Area Agencies on Aging) & Title VI Aging Programs (National Association of Area Agencies on Aging)

You can find an ombudsman, who helps resolve problems in long-term care issues with patients and facilities, by consulting the nonprofit National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care; click here to get help.

For information about more issues related to aging, click here for the federal National Institute on Aging.  For medical issues in general, visit the website of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.