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Retirement Care Facilities
Estimates show that by 2050, the number of individuals using long-term care services such as assisted living or skilled nursing facilities may rise to 27 million.
What are long-term care facilities, and what types of such facilities are there? Is there a difference between a nursing home and a retirement community? How much do senior living options cost?
This article lists and describes the different long-term care facilities. This write-up also discusses the costs of these facilities and the differences between various types of senior care
RetirementCare.org provides the search tools to help you find a senior housing solution that fits your needs.
Types of Retirement or Long-Term Care Facilities: How to Make Sense of Today’s Senior Housing Options
The following are the types of long-term care facilities:
Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities
Nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities provide personal and medical care services with round-the-clock supervision, daily living activity assistance, and three daily meals.
Independent Living Apartments
Independent living apartments are for seniors who don’t need medical or personal care but may prefer living with other seniors sharing similar interests.
Adult Homes
Adult homes provide personal care, supervision, housekeeping, and three daily meals for adults who can’t live independently.
Enriched Housing
Seniors reside in independent housing units, which offer a minimum of one meal daily.
Family-Type Homes
Family-type homes provide long-term residential care, supervision, and housekeeping to adults without relation to the operator.
The Village Concept
This model connects neighbors and local businesses to help seniors stay at home as these elderly individuals grow older.
Assisted Living Program (ALP)
ALP is for seniors who don’t need 24-hour care but still need assistance with daily routines.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (Lifecare Communities)
These communities allow aging adult residents to move into single-family condominiums or apartments.
Board and Care Homes
These homes are small private facilities where residents receive meals and personal care. However, there is usually no on-site nursing or medical care.
Aging in Place
Relatively independent older adults who can obtain the level of help they require can opt to stay in their homes.
Medical Foster Care
This program helps military veterans with chronic medical conditions meet the nursing home level of care.
Memory Care
Memory care provides extra supervision and care for individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or severe memory problems.
Alzheimer’s disease is dementia that causes memory loss and other cognitive disabilities.
Alzheimer’s Care
Memory care facilities provide individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease with 24-hour support and structured activities.
Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE)
RCFEs provide the following services:
RCFE General Services
RCFE general services typically include the following:
- Bathing and dressing assistance
- Housekeeping
- Meals or snacks
- Transportation
- Supervision
- Activities
- Medication assistance
RCFE Hospice Services
Hospice services involve providing care for individuals near the end of their life.
What is the Difference Between a Retirement Community and a Nursing Homes?
While nursing homes offer medical care, RCFEs provide nonmedical care and supervision for individuals 60 years or older.
While nursing homes offer medical care, RCFEs provide nonmedical care and supervision for individuals 60 years or older.
Retirement communities provide life enrichment opportunities and more independence. Nursing homes focus on round-the-clock, monitored supervision.
What Is Long-Term Care?
Long-term care involves various services that meet a person’s personal or health care needs over short or long periods.
Impactful Decision
Family caregivers and home health aides can help make decision-making possible, especially for adult children unsure of what assistance their elderly parents need.
Skilled Care vs. Custodial Care
Skilled care involves medical services provided by skilled or licensed medical personnel. Custodial care helps with daily living activities, such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
Assisted Living vs. Memory Care
Assisted living and memory care offer 24-hour supervision, personal care assistance, meals, and social activities. However, memory care is only for individuals with dementia.
Home Care vs. Home Health Care
Home care means custodial or unskilled care at home. In contrast, home health care includes a higher level of care and medical training.
Adult Day Social Care vs. Adult Day Health Care
Adult day social care provides care and supervision during daytime hours. Adult day health care has similar services and includes medical services.
Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care
Palliative care focuses on relieving patients of pain and suffering. Meanwhile, hospice care involves helping treat terminally ill patients.
Covering Costs: How Much Do These Senior Living Options Cost?
For independent living, the market rate to buy or rent a home plus community fees can range from $700 to $6,000 monthly.
Some individuals may qualify for government programs or Medicare or Medicaid benefits to help with the costs.
Pandemic Changes
In the wake of the pandemic, high-end assisted living is becoming increasingly popular.
Assisted living provides white-glove service with a concierge, car service, on-premise medical concierge, built-in swimming pools, gyms, and multiple dining options.
Care Management Services: Public and Private Options
Geriatric care managers provide care management services involving a care plan development and reviews needs assessment, and care services monitoring.