Assisted living options

The New York Times' excellent series, "The New Old Age," continues with 10 Things to Know About Assisted Living. The general information is quite good about what to consider in looking at assisted living arrangements. Another general web resource for all types of elder residential options is "A Place for Mom," which is a national referral service.

However, remember that although nursing homes are heavily regulated on the federal and state levels, assisted living apartments and homes are regulated much less, and only on the state level. So, whether looking at the services a facility offers, the medical options, or any other contract terms for assisted living, consult local or state resources too. For example, in Wisconsin, Community Based Residential Facilities (CBRFs, for short) can offer home-like settings for many types of needs, (dementia/memory care, for one), but CBRFs can only offer limited medical care. As a starter on Wisconsin resources, see the Department of Health Services website section on CBRF resources.

For more information on a national level, check out the Assisted Living Consumer Alliance.

(Photo by jonrawlinson; used by permission.)