Services Provided by Assisted Living Communities

There may come a time when you need to consider an assisted living residence for yourself or a loved one. This article will help you understand what assisted living is, what services to expect, and what to look for when visiting a community.

What is assisted living?

The National Center for Assisted Living® (NCAL) defines assisted living as “part of a continuum of long-term care services that provides a combination of housing, personal care services, and health care designed to respond to individuals who need assistance with normal daily activities in a way that promotes maximum independence.”

Assisted living is a lifestyle setting for people who:

Are semi-independent with needs for semi-assisted living.
Require varying degrees of help with daily needs, but do not require 24-hour nursing care.
May need extra assistance with medications, bathing, toileting, and other activities of daily living (ADL).
Want their meals, maintenance, laundry, and housekeeping taken care of for them.
Like having a choice of activities and programs that engage the mind, body and spirit.
Seek to be part of a community like Topeka Presbyterian Manor where they can live at their own pace.

What to expect from assisted living.

You should expect a comfortable, quality residential experience with a host of services, amenities and activities.

Services: Standard assisted living services include meals, housekeeping, laundry, transportation, and indoor and outdoor maintenance. Extra services are available for medication management, rehabilitative therapy, and help with hygiene and grooming. Basic utilities are typically included, with the exception of phone or Internet.
Amenities: Amenities differ by campus, but you should expect an assisted living community to offer on-site features that add value to life. At Topeka Presbyterian Manor, we provide for creative, intellectual and spiritual well-being with an art studio, a library, and chapel. We also have a beauty salon to keep residents looking their best.
Activities: You should also expect a full calendar of activities at an assisted living community. This includes daily and/or weekly activities like fitness groups, wellness programs, book club, Bible study, cards, dominoes, and other opportunities to engage in mind and body. Special events can include concerts, speakers, educational programs, and other activities for fun and fellowship.

What to look for in an assisted living community.

Should you choose to visit some assisted living communities, there are specific things you want to observe.

You want to look for well-landscaped grounds and clean and comfortable indoor spaces. Studio and one-bed apartments should be modern and equipped with safety features — like a smoke alarm and emergency call button. Residents should appear well taken care of within a pleasant, yet secure, home-like environment.

Most important, the people who work at the assisted living residence must love what they do. You can tell this by the way they treat you as a guest, and how they interact with residents during your visit. Don’t settle for anything less than a friendly and respectful atmosphere, with around-the-clock support staff.

Topeka Presbyterian Manor offers an easy-to-use Senior Living Tour Checklist to help with your decision making process.

When to make the move to assisted living.

These communities are designed to help semi-independent people thrive within a semi-assisted setting. Research shows that the average assisted living resident is a woman in her late 80’s who needs help with some activities of daily living. But, otherwise, is able to reside safely in her own apartment.

It might be time to make the move if you or your loved one want to: