What You Should Know About A Texas Assisted Living Residence
An assisted living residence is a type of care center for senior citizens who are no longer able to live independently but do not require the 24/7 care provided by a nursing home. The typical assisted living resident may need help with things like preparing a meal, taking a shower, or managing medications, but is otherwise able to live without care and supervision. In Texas, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are known as personal care facilities. Facilities caring for four people or fewer do not require a license; those taking care of five or more people must seek licensing through the state.
The first ALFs opened in the 1980s, when the United States was dealing with an aging, but basically healthy, population who did not have family nearby to help meet the few care needs they did have. These people resisted going into nursing homes, which at the time offered only limited privacy and personal choice. ALFs usually provided people with private rooms or apartments; social activities and outings were available but not mandatory.
ALFs currently provide homes to over 1 million United States residents. Of those, slightly less than half suffer from diseases that cause cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia. In Texas, there are currently 830 licensed personal care facilities and over 4000 facilities that are unlicensed.
An assisted living residence provides customers with a room and with three nutritious meals every day. In addition, the facility also provides staff to help with activities of daily living. Common needs include help managing one’s medications, performing personal hygiene tasks such as bathing, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom. Some residents may also need help with activities such as transferring from a wheelchair and eating.
ALFs charge a basic rate for room and board. In addition to that, they also charge for the assistance each person needs to function. The more help someone needs, the more he or she pays to remain in the facility.
In Austin, Texas, the average base cost to live in a personal care residence in $1500. When you include assistance with care, the cost rises to about $2000. This is still less than a skilled nursing facility which typically charges anywhere from $3000 to $4000 per month.
Throughout the United States, approximately 90% of ALF residents pay for their care from their own assets and resources. Texas was among the first two states to approve laws for a Community-Based Alternatives program which allows Medicaid to help pay for the cost of assisted living care. Over 20,000 Texans have taken advantage of this program.
Texas has also set standards to determine when an assisted living residence is no longer an appropriate placement for an individual. In order to remain in an ALF in Texas, patients must be able to understand emergency instructions and assist in their own evacuation in the event of a fire or other emergency. ALF care is also no longer appropriate if a resident needs 24-hour care and supervision or requires invasive procedures such as tube-feeding or IV medications.
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