Assisted Living, Essay Example

Many individuals get assisted living and nursing homes confused on a daily basis, not only because of the names of each, but also because of the services that each one of these provides. Assisted living and nursing homes are not the same thing and they should be categorized as different entities when the elderly as well as the young try to differentiate between the two. Assisted living is a very important part of our health care system just as nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services (2012), “assisted living facilities offer a housing alternative for older adults who may need help with dressing, bathing, eating, and toileting, but do not require the intensive medical and nursing care provided in nursing homes” (p.1). The role of the assisted living programs in America are put into place in order to help the elderly with normal, everyday tasks that they may not be able to do on their own. In assisted living programs, the elderly have their own units or apartments, however, the staff of the facility is there to provide meals, housekeeping and laundry, security, transportation, help with bathing, dressing, and eating, and recreational activities to name a few (Department of Health and Human Services, 2012, p.1).

As stated above, many individuals get assisted living programs and nursing homes confused. According to an article entitled “Assisted Living Compared to Nursing Homes” by Assisted Living Facilities (2012), many confuse assisted living and nursing homes because both types of senior living are actually similar in a lot of ways. They are also confused because most people have an understanding that the elderly are put in nursing homes when they cannot care for themselves any longer. However, there are differences in the two. According to the same article (2012), the main differences lie in the level of care that the residents received and the freedom that each resident is allowed. Nursing home residents are not normally able to leave the facility based on their conditions. However, individuals living in assisting living facilities may still be able to complete most of their own daily activities. They may still be able to drive, cook their own meals, run their own errands, but need medical attention or assistance in other ways. The assisted living community allows them to have the “security of medical supervision and social interaction with other residents” (“Assisted Living Compared to Nursing Homes, 2012, p. 1). The main difference is the level of care and attention needed in each of the facilities.

Assisted living is a growing field in health care today because of the many elderly individuals that need the use of the facilities to function normally. According to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (2012), it is important that the elderly population receive the healthcare that they deserve while doing it cost effectively. The assisted living arrangements allow for the healthcare system to focus efforts “on cost-effective interventions that enhance functioning and health-related quality of life or prevent functional decline” (p. 3). Assisted living facilities are growing in the field of health care because many are trying to find ways to develop cost-effective ways to prevent the decline of functional status in the United States. They are using these facilities to manage costs, prevent acute, chronic, and long-term health problems within the elderly community so there are less costs to the health care system, and giving the elderly community a place where they can be comfortable doing their normal activities with a little medical supervision (Department of Health and Human Services and the Agency of Healthcare Research Quality, 2012, p. 6-7). Finally, assisted living facilities take a burden off of family members who spend much of their time caring for their elderly loved ones. This, in turn, helps all areas of life for the family members and the elderly individual and creates satisfaction so that many young individuals do not feel as much stress or anxiety based on the care of their loved ones. By putting the elderly loved one in an assisted living facility, the young counterparts are able to focus on other things and still know that their loved ones are being taken care of on a daily basis. This helps health care costs not only for the elderly individual, but also for the younger population.

As an Assisted Living Administrator there is much to be done, thought about, and developed before even opening such a center or taking such a position. One must be willing to get the education, learn the healthcare laws, learn business laws, gain knowledge about assisted living facilities and what normally takes place in that type of atmosphere, learn how to hire exceptional staff, and be the eyes and ears of the whole facility. This is a major position that should not be taken lightly. The administrator or CEO has to be involved in every aspect of the facility and have knowledge about what is going on day by day. In order for me to prepare for such a career, it is important to look at all of these factors and make sure that all is on the right track. It is important for the CEO or administrator to understand the concept of the facility as well as the costs, health care provided, and staff of the facility. However, if I did not want to be the CEO or an administrator in the field, there are many other options. According to Dawn Trautman (2012), other job opportunities that currently exist in the field of assisted living facilities include medical professionals such as psychiatrists, occupational therapists, and speech/language therapists; residence directors; unlicensed caregivers; housekeepers; maintenance staff; activities directors; and food service providers.

In conclusion, the assisted living programs in America are here in order to provide support, guidance, and supervision to the elderly individuals within our society. Assisted living programs allow a lot of freedom for the individual with medical supervision that allows them to still feel safe and secure. Assisted living programs are cost-effective in that they provide many different services to the elderly individual and create less stress for the health care community and the family members of the elderly individual. If one does not want to take upon the major responsibility of being an administrator or CEO of an assisted living facility, there are many more options for that individual to make a difference in the lives of the elderly population. The assisted living programs are put into place to make a difference, to help the patients, and to give up for a better tomorrow.

References

Assisted living compared to nursing homes. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.assistedlivingfacilities.org/blog/assisted-living-compared-to-nursing-homes/

Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). Eldercare Locator. In Assisted Living. Retrieved from http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Resources/Factsheets/ Assisted_Living.aspx

Department of Health and Human Services and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2012). In Improving the health and health care of older Americans. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/research/olderam/oldman1.htm

Trautman, D. (2012). What are the qualifications of assisted living employees? Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6073291_qualifications-assisted-living-employees_.html