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Understanding Care Categories

Independent Living 

When cooking meals, cleaning the house, shoveling snow, mowing the lawn, and taking care of home repairs becomes burdensome, many seniors choose to move to an Independent Living Community (often referred to as a Retirement Community) to enjoy a carefree, retirement lifestyle.

This senior living option focuses on enjoying one's retirement. Most communities offer a myriad of amenities such as indoor pools, fitness and wellness centers, restaurant style dining, computer and business centers, well-stocked libraries, home theaters and walking paths – along with a wide range of individual and group leisure activities.

Convenience services such as meals, maintenance, grounds keeping, transportation, 24-hour security, and housekeeping and linen services are offered as part of the monthly fee or on an optional basis for an additional cost. Housing options may vary from freestanding, single-family homes to townhouses or apartments.

Assisted Living 

Seniors living in Assisted Living Residences are unable to live independently, but do not need nursing home care. Assisted Living is a home-like, congregate housing option that provides meals, housekeeping, laundry, personal care, health care services and social activities in a supportive setting.

The goal of Assisted Living is to maximize a resident's dignity, autonomy, privacy, independence, choice and safety.

Assisted Living Residences provide transportation, 24-hour security with staff available at all times, and access to on-site or nearby health and medical services. Assisted Living Residences strive to keep residents as active and involved as possible through educational, spiritual, social and recreational programs.

Individuals residing in Assisted Living Residences usually have their own suites or apartments complete with a mini-kitchen and private bathroom, in addition to sleeping and living areas. Some choose to share their residences with a spouse or a roommate.

There are Assisted Living Residences that offer dementia care. This is typically provided in a separate and secure "Memory Care Neighborhood." There are a small number of Assisted Living Residences where the entire facility is devoted to providing a supportive environment for those with memory challenges.

Assisted Living Residences typically offer a rental arrangement, with residents or their families paying the entire cost privately. Depending upon the terms of the policy, long term care insurance may pay for Assisted Living. Some states have Medicaid Waiver Programs that are designed to help lower-income seniors reside in an Assisted Living Residence. Many, but not all states, license and/or certify Assisted Living Residences.

For more information on Assisted Living Facilities, visit the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) at www.alfa.org.

Nursing and Rehabilitation Center or Nursing Homes 

A Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, also known as a Nursing Home, is a facility that provides 24-hour nursing care, rehabilitative services and assistance with daily tasks to individuals who are unable to safely reside at home or in any other living alternative. Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers provide medically supervised care to the elderly, disabled and chronically ill.

Some individuals require only a short stay for rehabilitation and strengthening after hospitalization, before returning home. Other residents require long-term medical, social and personal care along with supportive services that cannot be adequately provided in any other setting. A great number of Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers offer short-term respite care for caregivers needing temporary relief from their caregiving responsibilities.

Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, also referred to as Skilled Nursing Facilities, Nursing Facilities, Health Care Centers, Convalescent Centers, Extended Care Centers or Long Term Care Facilities, can be freestanding or part of a continuum of care that typically includes Independent Living and Assisted Living.

Many facilities specialize in certain types of care. For example, a Nursing and Rehabilitation Center may offer complex medical and rehabilitation services called sub acute care. Others may have a separate dementia care "neighborhood" for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Medicare, Medicaid, private payment and long term care insurance are all methods of payment for nursing and rehabilitative care provided to seniors, although Medicare currently covers only short-term care.

Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) 

Sometimes called Lifecare Communities, a Continuing Care Retirement Community offers multiple levels of care that allow an individual to "age in place." This type of retirement community gives active seniors the ability to enjoy a carefree, independent lifestyle with the knowledge that all of their needs will be met should their health care situation change. CCRCs usually provide independent living, assisted living, and nursing and rehabilitative care for their residents on one campus.

In a CCRC, one will typically find single-family homes, cottages, townhouses, duplexes or apartments for residents who are active and independent. You will also find an Assisted Living Residence for individuals needing help with daily activities in a supportive environment, and a Nursing Home for those who require rehabilitation and 24-hour nursing care. Residents of a CCRC are able to move from one level of care to another, based on their individual needs.

CCRC contracts vary from long-term, all-inclusive Lifecare agreements to rental arrangements with assisted living and nursing home coverage paid for at the time of need. In addition to a monthly maintenance fee, a substantial entrance fee is usually required. CCRCs assess each prospective resident's health and financial situation to ensure a proper fit with the services offered and the fees required.

Learning Center

• MyGuide AnswerGuide
  • Independent Living
  • Assisted Living
  • Nursing Homes
  • CCRC
• Glossary
• Financial Planning
• Aging Successfully

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