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Assisted Living Communities Across the United States of America & Canada

Foremost on the minds of caregivers and family members is the desire to give the loved one as much autonomy and dignity as possible while ensuring proper care and safety. It can be challenging to find a senior assisted living situation that meets your needs in the location and setting you prefer.

If you are searching for assisted living services for your loved one, this section is for you.

Signs That It's Time to Look Into Assisted Living for Seniors

1. Decrease in Attention to Personal Care

Unbrushed hair, dirty clothes, odor and a lack of personal grooming are all signs that your loved one may require some help in the bathroom or around the house. As people age, these everyday tasks can become tedious and difficult due to loss of motor control, arthritis, pain or cognitive impairment.

2. Less Care Shown in Housekeeping

Take a look around your loved one's living area. If there are sticky counters, un-emptied garbages, stained carpets or spoiled food, she may need help keeping up on household chores. Facilities that offer assisted living for seniors provide housekeeping and laundry services to residents.

3. Dangerous Driving

Do you hesitate to let your loved one drive himself or others? Are there unexplained dents or scratches on his car, or an increasing record of accidents or tickets? Loss of vision, cognitive impairment and diminished motor capabilities can all contribute to these signs.

4. Loss of Mobility

Trouble walking up or down stairs, rising from chairs and entering and exiting vehicles are all signs of diminished mobility. When aging individuals lose mobility, it is time to start looking into assisted living for seniors or other senior assistance.

5. Decreased Appetite or Interest in Food and Cooking

Some people never care much about food or cooking, but if your loved one starts skipping meals, grocery shopping or cooking too little to maintain general health, moving her to an assisted living facility will ensure three meals a day, and assistance with eating.

6. Lack of Care in Medication Management

Expired medicine bottles, unfilled prescriptions, or abnormally high pharmacy costs could signal an inability to manage medications properly. Proper medication is essential for many seniors who have medical conditions requiring treatment.

7. Reduced Attention Toward Finances

Bills piled on the counter, calls from creditors, or abnormally large donation receipts could indicate that your loved one is losing control over his finances. We don't need to tell you how important it is to keep a good handle on finances, especially with the limited funds many seniors have. Talk to your loved one about their spending, or look for an organization that can help him, such as assisted living for seniors.

8. Memory Loss

Some seniors stay as sharp as a tack until the end of their lives. Others start to suffer from cognitive impairment as they age. Unexplained phone calls and loss of short-term memory are both signs that your loved one may be suffering. If this is the case, include memory care in your search for senior care facilities.

9. Diminished Communication Skills

Does your loved one have increased difficulty when following directions? Does she often have to stop and search for words when speaking? These signs are easy to overlook because we don't want to see our loved ones lose the sharpness they once had. Being honest with yourself about their struggles will help you get them the help they need.

10. Depression

Depression affects people of all ages. Moodiness, anxiety, insomnia and loss of interest in things people once loved are all signs of depression. Try to stay in tune with your loved one's interests so you'll know if these symptoms show up. No one likes to suffer from depression, and the sooner it's diagnosed, the sooner they can get help.

Assisted living licensing provides a measure of protection for a subsection of people who are sometimes unable to protect themselves. Licensed assisted living facilities are subject to regular state inspections and oversight. Applying for assisted living certification involves a process put in place to dissuade ill-equipped or deceitful businesses from offering senior care services. States reward only those who are committed to cleanliness, safety and good practices.

General Assisted Living Licensing Information

Assisted living certification is available for administrators as well as establishments. All 50 states currently mandate that skilled nursing facilities are run by licensed administrators, but not all states require assisted living administrators to get certified. This is particularly true for small, home-based providers.

It is important that assisted living for the elderly be certified. Without regular inspection and oversight, even well-intentioned staff can get sloppy. Even if you like what you see at an unlicensed facility, remember that dedicated caretakers will take the extra steps to complete their state-mandated assisted living certification.

How Can I Tell if a Facility is Licensed?

All Assisted Living Homes connects you with only licensed senior care options, for your safety and satisfaction. But you can locate state-specific assisted living certification information at each state's nursing home survey agency. Facilities that provide assisted living for the elderly also often display their certification and credentials in a prominent place, such as the entryway or main lobby.

If you need further information on assisted living licensing at a particular senior care facility, you can find government ratings from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Nursing Home Compare database at www.medicare.gov. And as always, be discerning when choosing a senior home.

Paying for Senior Assisted Living

One of the most challenging aspects of choosing senior care for your loved one is managing finances. Some facilities charge flat rates while others use an a la carte pricing structure. Balancing a limited amount of funds with your parent's fluctuating or increasing needs will be easier for you if you understand the basics of Medicare, Medicaid, retirement funds, reverse mortgages and other senior care financing staples.

Breaking Down Assisted Living Costs

It seems that no two assisted living companies structure their cost schedules identically. Some charge large up-front costs, others charge bulk sums monthly or yearly, and some offer services with an a la carte pricing structure. In addition, different areas of the nation offer different price ranges based on cost-of-living differences. And of course, fancier facilities with more amenities and lower aid to resident ratios will cost more as well.

Please visit our Care Cost Calculator to see some projected costs

Programs that Help with Assisted Living & Long-Term Care Costs

Medicare

Medicare is a program of the federal government created to help senior citizens age 65 or older with hospital and medical costs. Medicare Part A is "hospital" insurance, and Medicare Part B is an optional "medical" insurance. See our Medicare article to learn more about how Medicare can help cover your long-term care costs.

Medicaid

Medicaid is another federal government program for low-income seniors who need help paying for medical and long-term care costs. Medicaid typically does not cover assisted living costs, unless significant nursing care is needed. See our Medicaid article to learn more about qualifying for and using Medicaid to help fund your assisted living costs.

Assets and Liabilities

When creating a retirement living budget, you need to take account of your loved one's assets and liabilities to get a good picture of their ability to pay for care. These assets and liabilities are accounted for when determining Medicaid qualification. They can also be used to maximize the dollars you have to put toward long-term care costs. See our Assets and Liabilities Planning article to get started.

Long-Term Care Insurance

Long-term care insurance is an increasingly popular insurance option that can help offset expensive assisted living costs. It is an expensive option, but is cost effective for people with a certain amount of assets.

    Long Term Care Insurance may cover this service, plan for the future: