Is Assisted Living Right for Your Family Member?

When you’re considering a senior living community for yourself or a family member, it’s essential to have as much information about your options as possible so you can make an informed decision. However, there are several different senior living terms used and different care types that can make it difficult to understand which option is the right fit.

To help you make an informed decision as you start considering senior living, we’re taking a comprehensive look at what assisted living is, the benefits of this care type, assisted living costs, and more.

What Is Assisted Living?

Assisted living offers community-based, residential living for seniors who may need personalized support with their health, personal care, or some activities of daily living. 

There are two types of activities of daily living. One type is instrumental activities of daily living, which are more complex skills needed to live independently. These skills include preparing meals, shopping, using the telephone, using transportation, housekeeping, managing finances, and managing medication(s).

Activities of daily living include all activities involved in personal care in getting ready for the day or getting ready for sleeping at night. These activities cover many daily tasks, including but not limited to: 

• Mobility and transferring: Including assistance in and out of chairs or the bed, calls for assistance, and moving to and from meals and activities
• Dressing: Including dressing and removing clothing and undergarments
• Dining: Including cutting up food, providing reminders and cues during meals, offering special diets or fluids, and using dining assistive devices
• Bathing: Including showering, foot soaks, and sponge baths 

Assisted living communities provide different services and levels of care depending on the unique needs of the resident. This means residents’ personal and medical needs are taken care of while they enjoy a vibrant lifestyle full of amenities and activities. 

Assisted Living Community Perks and Amenities

Assisted living communities generally offer a variety of apartment options and provide a low-maintenance lifestyle that includes all the comforts of home, such as comfortable bedrooms, bathrooms that have been designed for accessibility and safety, and delicious meals. 

Let’s look at some of the care and perks that may come with assisted living, depending on the community.

Delicious Meals

Healthy, delicious food is important, and communities such as Cedarhurst Senior Living have taken special care to make sure residents have the nutritional options they need to live well. The Crafted by Cedarhurst℠ culinary program, which is available in almost every Cedarhurst community, offers meals created with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. 

Our dining program offers all-day dining with breakfast favorites served throughout the day, and every meal includes options that cater to residents’ nutritional needs, such as: 

• Heart-healthy
• Boost Your Brain℠
• Gluten-free
• Diabetic-friendly
• Low-sodium

We cook up regional specials as well as comforting favorites that are always available, even as the rest of the menu changes. 

Laundry

Keeping up with laundry and carrying a heavy clothes hamper to and from the washer and dryer can be difficult, especially for those requiring physical assistance. In assisted living communities, we do the heavy lifting—literally. To support each resident’s individual needs, we offer personal laundry services.

Housekeeping

Assisted living communities provide standard housekeeping services. For those who need additional help, communities may provide occasional, frequent, or extensive housekeeping services at an additional fee.

Medication Management

Medications may be crucial to maintaining quality of life. Assisted living communities are staffed with trained team members who may assist with making sure medication(s) are taken as directed and help administer the medication when necessary.

Around-the-Clock Care

Residents are the priority in a senior living community. Each individual has their own unique needs and wants, including the level of care they require. Whether it’s a minimal amount of care with daily tasks such as brushing teeth or a more extensive amount of assistance with everything from bathing to dining, each resident is fully supported precisely how they need to be 24/7.

Socialization Opportunities

Socialization is important to overall wellness. Seniors who are socially isolated are at risk of health consequences associated with isolation and loneliness, such as heart disease, stroke, anxiety, and depression. 

Assisted living communities are vibrant places full of opportunities for socialization just outside each apartment door. Senior living communities make socialization much easier through a variety of opportunities and amenities, including:

• Shared social spaces
• Full calendar of social events, trips, and activities
• Restaurant-style dining where new connections can be made over a meal

Pet-Friendly Atmosphere

No need to leave Peanut or Spot behind during the move to a senior living community, because many of them aren’t just pet-tolerant—they’re pet-friendly. 

Pet ownership provides many health benefits, and not just for the pet owner. Neighbors in a senior living community also pick up the therapeutic advantages of having a pet, such as lower stress and decreased loneliness. Pets also naturally increase socialization opportunities as neighbors stop by to say hello and give the dog or cat a treat.  

Assisted Living Pricing

There isn’t a set range of pricing for assisted living communities. When you’re considering assisted living options, it’s important to think about how care needs may change and how the pricing will change to accommodate these needs. 

Pricing for assisted living communities depends on a number of factors, including:

• Care type: More extensive support, such as the kind found in memory care communities, may also carry a higher cost.
• Amenities: Perks such as a private patio or pet-friendly community might cost more, but it’s important to weigh how important these are. Additionally, more luxurious communities and communities that have recently been renovated will often charge more.
• Location: This is a big factor affecting pricing. The cost of assisted living in your state and community may vary from a location a few states away. For example, seniors living in a small town will pay significantly less than those living in New York City.

Assisted Living vs. Memory Care vs. Independent Living

Assisted living shares many similarities with independent living, but residents in an assisted living community have additional support staff on hand. 

Independent living focuses on providing residents with convenient, low-maintenance living while offering the amenities they want. 

Memory care is a more specialized type of community with specially trained staff to care for residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. For example, managers and life enrichment team members at Cedarhurst receive certified dementia practitioner training. Additionally, our training is recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association^® for providing personalized, evidence-based dementia care. 

As needs change, the care type can also shift. For example, as a resident in independent living ages, their changing medical or physical needs may require a shift to assisted living, so they receive necessary care balanced with their level of independence.

Real Answers on Assisted Living Costs

Part of making an informed decision on assisted living is being fully equipped with information regarding costs. To help you understand what factors impact costs and what you can expect, explore our free resource, The Insider’s Guide to Understanding Assisted Living Pricing.

This post was originally published in May 2023 and updated in December 2024.