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Question: A number of assisted living communities I’ve looked into for my father have said he could live there independently. Does that mean I should be looking for an independent retirement community for him?
Answer: It might. As long as your father is in good health, can take care of all his own needs on a day-to-day basis, and you have no reason to believe his situation will change in the near future, then independent living may serve him well. And, if he chooses a community that has handrails, wheelchair accessible bathrooms, meals, planned activities, and other amenities, his life can be made easier.
But, he could find similar circumstances at an assisted living community where he could have his own apartment and take advantage of the amenities offered, like meals and activities. The main difference would be that in an assisted living community, staff would have to know where he is and how he’s doing.
That’s because assisted living communities are licensed by the State of California (officially designated as Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, RCFEs) and have to meet specific regulations. One of the overarching requirements is that RCFEs provide “care and supervision” to all residents. The trade-off for residents in assisted living communities is that by giving up a little privacy they are assured that someone will be around to make sure they are all right.
Additionally, assisted living was developed with the recognition that many seniors have chronic health conditions – the most common being arthritis, high blood pressure, hearing loss and vision impairment. These conditions may affect their ability to carry out activities of daily living, such as dressing, grooming, bathing, eating, using the restroom, meeting hygiene needs, and taking medications correctly. So, personal supportive care is available in assisted living communities, but not in independent living.
If your father came to need help on a routine basis, he might have to move from independent living to a community where he could get a higher level of care, such as assisted living or skilled nursing if his needs are medical. In your investigation of senior housing for your father try to envision needs he may have in the future because, for people in frail health, the experience of moving can be distressing.