Personal Care Vs. Assisted Living: What You Need to Know

The terms assisted living and personal care are used interchangeably most of the time despite the fact that they mean different things. In 2011, there was legislation that was passed which separated the care industry into two main categories. You might be familiar with assisted living if you’re looking for a nursing home in Somerset County. This is because the term has been in existence for a long time. People might not be familiar with the term personal care as it sounds like a generic description rather than an act. Which begs the question, what is the difference between assisted living and personal living community?
Differences In Assisted Living and Personal Care Communities The main difference is that for personal care living community, one will need to have to look for a health center should they require the services of a healthcare professional. For assisted living communities, the auxiliary health services are brought to the facility and are in existence for as long as possible.
Concept Assisted living allows for the residents to age in place. This means that their healthcare requirements will be taken care of as the needs increase. They will not have to move to another facility in order to get treatment as they grow older. This is not the case for personal care facilities.
ConstructionAssisted Living facilities are required to provide a room for the residents. The room should have a lockable door and a private bathroom and a decent kitchen. Most personal care homes do not offer such amenities and are not required to do so.
Level of care Assisted living homes ensures that the residents get skilled nursing services should their level of care surpass the services that are offered by the assisted living facility.
Staffing Levels The staffing levels will differ when comparing personal care and an assisted living facility. It is a requirement for an ALR to have a nurse on duty at all times of the day. There should also be a registered dietician who is under staff or contracted to provide service. Those under direct care should remain vigilant and awake while on duty even if it is the middle of the night. With regards to training, those that work in assisted living must undergo up to 18 hours of supervised training before they can be left on their own. There is also a need for dementia training and the annual recommended time is 12 hours.
Assisted Living and Personal Care SimilaritiesDespite the differences, the two types of facilities do have their similarities. They both provide food, housing, and the daily care you’d expect from such facilities. The most important thing should be personal care. There are facilities that will offer both personal care and assisted living facilities. What you go for will depend on your needs and level of care that is needed. The facility should also be affordable so that there is no strain on your finances. You can check out https://www.bshcare.com/ for more information.

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395 Amwell Rd
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
(908) 281-4400

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