An Assisted Living Home usually refers to a RCFE which is short for Residential Care for the Elderly but can sometimes refer to a larger facility. These are regular houses that are modified to accommodate seniors. There may even be a RCFE in your neighborhood. Assisted Living Homes range from 3 residents up to 15+ depending on the size of the home and can range in price, location, services offered, quality of services offered, activities, accommodations such as room size, and security. See our checklist for visiting and reviewing an assisted living home. To see a video of an Assisted Living Home in Arizona you can view the Assisted Living 101 interview with ABC 15.
The price for an assisted living home that offers 24 hour care and food service can range from $1000 a month to $10,000 a month. Obviously you get what you pay for and the same rule applies to assisted living homes. Daily basic services provided usually include food service, assistance waking, changing, bathing, toileting, walking, taking medications, and coordinating medical care with clinics and doctors.
Some homes offer special services such as outdoor activities (activity coordinators), luxurious amenities, family involvement, gardening, and many other unique perks that can vary per home. Sharing rooms with a roommate (shared room) is very common in assisted living homes to help keep costs down. Private rooms are also available but come with a higher price tag. If going the shared room route, make sure that you have a say in the roommate selection process.
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