Entering Assisted Living

The Assisted Living Facility is designed to provide assistance to it's residents in the Activities of Daily Living. In order to be admitted into the facility, there is a registration process in place which might vary depending on the actual facility preferences. It is important to research the facility to learn what their registration process is and what it entails.

The first step is determining if your loved one is a "candidate" for the facility. Being a candidate means that your loved one needs assistance in the activities of daily living and that the facility is able to provide that assistance to him/her. To determine this eligibility, there is a physical assessment and evaluation performed by a healthcare practitioner to determine their actual medical condition, which might be your loved one's physician. Once that is performed there will also be an evaluation of the needs for assistance in the activities of daily living. When the two evaluations are completed, the facility manager and a health care professional will determine if your loved one is a candidate for the facility.

When it is confirmed that your loved one is an eligible candidate, the registration process begins. That will be to determine of the type of services your loved one needs, including meal preferences, laundry preferences, etc. There will also be an application for registration completed with a financial arrangement made to reimburse the facility for the services provided for your loved one. The financial arrangement will need to be completed before your loved one is able to move into the facility, so it is important to be certain everyone understands the costs associated with the arrangement.

The individual who signs the financial arrangement is taking responsibility for the financial costs associated with the arrangement. The facility may require a financial statement showing where the funds are coming from to be sure that there is adequate funding for the individual to come into the facility. The costs the facility charges covers the room and board, meals, laundry services, housekeeping, as well as the basis services for assistance with the activities of daily living. It is important to be sure that you understand what is included in these basic services and what services are provided at an extra fee.

The activities of Daily Living are those functions or tasks for self care which are performed either independently or with supervision or assistance.

The actual activities are:

• Eating
• Bathing
• Dressing
• Grooming
• Moving from a chair to a bed
• Toileting
• Moving from one room to another

• We may not be able to move from the Sofa to the Dining room table to eat dinner.
• We may not be able to brush or comb our hair.
• We may not be able to take a bath or shower without worrying about slipping and falling.