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Assisted Living Terminology by State

Learn about assisted living terminology by state. Seniorly explains common terms and phrases for assisted living in different parts of the country.

By Marlena del Hierro Updated on Aug 1, 2024
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Table of Contents
Alabama assisted living termsAlaska assisted living termsArizona assisted living termsArkansas assisted living termsCalifornia assisted living termsColorado assisted living termsConnecticut assisted living termsDelaware assisted living termsDistrict of Columbia  assisted living termsFlorida assisted living termsGeorgia assisted living termsHawaii  assisted living termsIdaho assisted living termsIllinois assisted living termsIndiana assisted living termsIowa assisted living termsKansas assisted living termsKentucky assisted living termsLouisiana assisted living termsMaine assisted living termsMaryland assisted living termsMassachusetts assisted living termsMichigan assisted living termsMinnesota assisted living termsMississippi assisted living termsMissouri assisted living termsMontana assisted living termsNebraska assisted living termsNevada assisted living termsNew Hampshire assisted living termsNew Jersey assisted living termsNew Mexico assisted living termsNew York assisted living termsNorth Carolina assisted living termNorth Dakota assisted living termsOhio assisted living termsOklahoma assisted living termsOregon assisted living termsPennsylvania assisted living termsRhode Island assisted living termsSouth Carolina assisted living termsSouth Dakota assisted living termsTennessee assisted living termsTexas assisted living termsUtah assisted living termsVermont assisted living termsVirginia assisted living termsWashington assisted living termsWest Virginia assisted living termsWisconsin assisted living termsWyoming assisted living terms

Alabama assisted living terms

  • Assisted living facilities (ALFs) are communities with two or more residents. The ALF must provide, or offer to provide, these residents assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs).
  • Alabama assisted living facilities are divided into three types based on size:
    • Family Assisted Living cares for 2-3 adult residents.
    • Group Assisted Living cares for 4-16 adult residents.
    • Congregate Assisted Living cares for 17 or more adult residents.
  • Specialty care assisted living facilities meet the definition of an assisted living facility but they are specifically licensed to provide care for residents who have a cognitive impairment that would make them ineligible to stay at an assisted living facility as per AAC 420-5-20-.01.
  • Link to Alabama assisted living licensure terms and definitions

Alaska assisted living terms

  • Supportive living, assisted living, residential care, adult foster care
    • Supportive living homes are designed for adults who have emotional and/or developmental disabilities. Residential care offers seniors board and care. Adult foster care refers to homes for adults who have developmental and mental disabilities.

Arizona assisted living terms

  • Three types of services provided at assisted living communities in Arizona:
    • Supervisory care refers to daily observation of residents’ needs and capabilities, general looking after and assisting residents with self-administration of medication.
    • Personal care refers to assistance with day-to-day activities, like grooming and dressing, along with medication administration and nursing services as needed.
    • Directed care refers to services for individuals who are unable to make their own basic care decisions, call for help or understand dangerous situations.
    • Link to Arizona assisted living licensure terms and definitions

Arkansas assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, residential care facilities, nursing homes
    • In Arkansas, the terms assisted living and residential care facilities are often used interchangeably. Nursing homes refer to facilities that provide skilled nursing care to seniors.
    • Alzheimer's special care unit - means a separate and distinct unit within an assisted living or other long-term care facility that segregates and provides a special program for residents with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, and that advertises, markets, or otherwise promotes the facility as providing specialized Alzheimer’s or dementia care services.
  • Link to Arkansas assisted living licensure terms and definitions

California assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, memory care, independent living, enhanced assisted living
    • Enhanced assisted living is not the same as assisted living. It offers a higher level of care that bridges the gap between assisted living and skilled nursing.
    • Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) — An alternative term for called “Assisted Living” (e.g., 16+ beds) or “Board and Care” (e.g., 4 to 6 beds) — are non–medical facilities that provide room, meals, housekeeping, supervision, storage and distribution of medication, and personal care assistance with basic activities like hygiene, dressing, eating, bathing and transferring.  RCFEs serve persons 60 years of age and older.

Colorado assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, nursing homes
    • The term nursing home refers to skilled nursing care in Colorado.

Connecticut assisted living terms

  • Connecticut law does not use the same term as other states do. Instead, the state regulates “assisted living services agencies” (ALSAs) that provide the services.
  • And the ALSA can provide these services only at a “managed residential community” (MRC)
  • Link to Connecticut assisted living regulations and definitions

Delaware assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, long term care facilities, adult foster care, nursing homes
    • The term long term care facility generally refers to assisted living in Delaware. Nursing homes are facilities that offer skilled nursing. Adult foster care (also called Family Care Homes and Residential Care Homes or RCHs) is a housing option for individuals who cannot live at home and require supervision. There are specific medical, social, and financial criteria that must be met for entrance to adult foster care homes. Family Care Homes can provide a higher level of care than can RCHs, but when admitted, individuals must be able to perform all activities of daily living (ADLs) and self- administer medications.
    • Link to Delaware assisted living licensure terms and definitions

District of Columbia  assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, long term care
    • Long term care facilities offer assisted living, as well as other levels of care like memory care and skilled nursing.
  • For those looking to age at home, explore the Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program. SFRRP provides financial aid (grants and loans) to elderly and disabled individuals in order to make home modifications and repairs.

Florida assisted living terms

  • Personal Care Homes provide a residential type of setting for individuals who do not need 24-hour nursing care, but may need assistance with such activities of daily living as bathing, dressing or using a bathroom. A personal care home may choose to help a resident obtain additional health care services if the resident’s health declines and they need more care.
  • Extended congregate care means a facility licensed to provide any of the services under a standard license and LNS license, including any nursing service permitted within the scope of the nurse’s license consistent with ALF residency requirements and the facility’s written policy and procedures. A facility with this type of license enables residents to age in place in a residential environment despite mental or physical limitations that might otherwise disqualify them from residency under a standard or LNS license. This definition creates a higher level of care in assisted living.
  • Standard means a facility licensed to provide housing, meals, and one or more personal care services for a period exceeding 24 hours. Personal care services include direct physical assistance with or supervision of a resident’s ADLs and the self- administration of medication and similar services. The facility may employ or contract with licensed persons to administer medication and perform other nursing tasks, such as taking vital signs, managing individual weekly pill organizers for residents who self- administer medication, giving pre-packaged enemas ordered by the physician, and observing residents.
  • Limited nursing services means a facility licensed to provide any of the services under a standard license and additional LMH specified in rules, which include: conducting passive range of motion exercises; applying ice caps or collars and heat; cutting toenails of diabetic residents or residents with a documented circulatory problem, if approved in writing by the resident’s health care provider; performing ear and eye irrigations; conducting a urine dipstick test; replacing established self- maintained in-dwelling catheter or performing intermittent urinary catheterizations; applying and changing routine dressings that do not require packing or irrigation; caring for Stage II pressure sores; conducting nursing assessments if conducted by, or under the direct supervision of, a registered nurse (RN); and providing any nursing service permitted within the scope of the nurse’s license, including 24-hour supervision, for hospice patients.

Georgia assisted living terms

  • Personal care home
    • A personal care home is Georgia’s term for assisted living and refers to a home providing food service, housing, and personal services for two or more adults who aren’t related to the administrator or owner by marriage or blood. The personal services offered may include supervision or assistance with self-administered medications, help with daily living activities, and aid with transfer and ambulation.
    • Subsidized Senior Housing Some federal and state programs subsidize housing for low to moderate income seniors. These facilities may provide assistance with tasks such as shopping and laundry. However, residents generally live independently in an apartment within the senior housing complex.
    • Link to Georgia senior care definitions

Hawaii  assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, adult day care, intermediate care facilities, long term care, skilled nursing
    • Hawaiian assisted living communities can also be referred to as adult resident care homes (ARCHs). The state of Hawaii recognizes assisted living homes as a community setting offering 24-hour access to need-based services. Adult residential care homes offer 24-hour living accommodations to adults who require assistance with the activities of daily living (ADLs) and who are unrelated to the owner of the home.
      • Assisted living communities in Hawaii are divided into two categories. Those that house five or fewer residents are considered Type 1, and those with six or more residents are Type II.
    • Long term care refers to Medicaid for nursing services in Hawaii. Intermediate care facilities offer the same care as skilled nursing communities.
    • Community Care Foster Family Home (CCFFH) program is for Medicaid recipients, which helps to pay for nursing home level care outside of the nursing home environment. (Private pay individuals can also be accepted into this program.) Instead of living in institutions, program participants live in foster family homes. These types of homes provide care for up to three persons, providing a family-like environment for the aging, rather than institutional facility settings.

Idaho assisted living terms

  • Nursing homes, residential care, assisted living, retirement communities
    • Residential Assisted Living Facilities, commonly referred to as RALFs, are group living arrangements in a facility or residence operated on either a profit or non-profit basis for the purpose of providing necessary supervision, personal assistance, meals, and lodging to three or more adults (18 years of age or older) not related to the owner.

Illinois assisted living terms

  • Assisted living establishment means a residence for three or more unrelated adults (at least 80 percent of whom are 55 years of age or older) that provides single- occupancy living units with a private bathroom and space for small kitchen appliances. Residents should be able to age in place within the parameters set by the licensing rules.
  • Shared housing establishment means a publicly or privately operated free standing residence for 3-16 adults (at least 80 percent of whom are 55 years of age or older) who are unrelated to the facility owners and/or managers. Shared housing provides the same services as assisted living.
  • Sheltered care facilities provide maintenance and personal care but do not provide routine nursing care.
  • Supportive living facilities are residential settings that provide or coordinate personal care services, 24-hour supervision and assistance (scheduled and unscheduled), activities, and health-related services. Facilities must be designed and operated to minimize the need for residents to move within or from the setting.
  • Link to Illinois assisted living licensure terms and definitions

Indiana assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, residential care facility, adult foster care
    • Residential care facilities in Indiana are like small assisted living facilities that provide room, board, and care for seniors.

Iowa assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, residential care facility, nursing homes, elder group home
    • Residential care offers personal assistance as well as other essential daily living activities to seniors who are unable to properly or sufficiently care for themselves due to disease, mental or physical impairment, or illness. Elder group homes refer to single-family homes that are operated by an individual providing room board, and personal three to five aging adults who are not related to them.

Kansas assisted living terms

  • Nursing homes, assisted living, residential care
    • Residential care homes differ from assisted living in Kansas. They are homes for individuals who are unable to find housing due to mental illness. Nursing homes are the term used in this state for skilled nursing care.
    • Congregate Housing: Congregate housing, also called supported housing, is a group housing option for elderly individuals and adults with disabilities. Congregate homes have private living quarters and common dining and social areas. Support services vary, but may include meals and activities. People living in a congregate housing facility require little or no assistance with personal care.
    • Link to Kansas assisted living and long-term care definitions

Kentucky assisted living terms

  • Adult foster care, residential care, assisted living, nursing facility, personal care home
    • Residential care homes in Kentucky are smaller assisted living communities. Personal care communities provide the same services and social environment as an assisted living facility, but they also have the benefit of licensed medical staff. However, it’s important to note that personal care is not the same as a nursing home. While personal care is state licensed, 24-7 nursing presence isn’t required, although it’s offered by some communities.

Louisiana assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, retirement homes, nursing homes
    • Nursing homes in Louisiana offer skilled nursing to seniors.
    • Adult residential care provider refers to a facility, agency, institution, society, corporation, partnership, company, entity, residence, person or persons, or any other group that provides adult residential care for compensation to two or more adults who are unrelated to the licensee or operator.  Adult residential care includes but is not limited to the following services: lodging, meals, medication administration, intermittent nursing services, assistance with personal hygiene, assistance with transfers and ambulation, assistance with dressing, housekeeping, and laundry. There are four levels of Adult Residential Care Providers:
    • Level 1 – ARCP: Provides adult residential care for compensation to two or more residents but no more than eight who are unrelated to the licensee or operator in a setting that is designed similarly to a single-family dwelling.
    • Level 2 – ARCP: Provides adult residential care for compensation to nine or more residents but no more than 16 who are unrelated to the licensee or operator in a congregate setting that does not provide independent apartments equipped with kitchenettes, whether functional or rendered nonfunctional for reasons of safety.
    • Level 3 – ARCP: Provides adult residential care for compensation to 17 or more residents who are unrelated to the licensee or operator in independent apartments equipped with kitchenettes, whether functional or rendered nonfunctional for reasons of safety.
    • Level 4 – ARCP: Provides adult residential care including intermittent nursing services for compensation to 17 or more residents who are unrelated to the licensee or operator in independent apartments equipped with kitchenettes, whether functional or rendered nonfunctional for reasons of safety.

Maine assisted living terms

  • Adult Day Care Programs: A program a person attends during the day while family members are at work, or for other reasons. A Day Care Program may be freestanding or it may be attached to a long-term care facility such as a nursing home or a residential care facility (see below). There are two types of Adult Day Care Programs -- Adult Day Social and Adult Day Health. Adult Day Health Programs provide medication administration and help with ADLs where Adult Day Social does not.
  • Assisted Living Program: An "apartment style" living arrangement where a variety of services are provided, including help with medications and, in some cases, nursing services.
  • Level I Residential Care Facility: A one or two bed facility where residents receive room and board and services as needed.
  • Level II Residential Care Facility: A three to six bed facility where residents receive room and board and services as needed. A family unit primarily operates these facilities.
  • Level III Residential Care Facility: A three to six bed facility where residents receive room and board and services as needed. This includes Adult Family Care Homes. These facilities are primarily agency owned and operated and employ three or more unrelated people.
  • Level IV Residential Care Facility: A facility with more than 7 beds. They also provide room and board and services as needed.
  • Private Non-Medical Institutions (PNMI): A type of facility that accepts MaineCare clients. There are four levels of PNMIs; Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level IV. The definition of the Levels are the same as for the bed complements in Level I - IV Residential Care Facilities.
  • Link to Maine's assisted living glossary

Maryland assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, adult day care, adult foster care, nursing home
    • In Maryland, the term nursing home is used interchangeably with skilled nursing.
    • Adult Foster Care (AFC). The state licenses two types of AFC:
      • AFC provides a family setting in the community for an aged adult or an adult with disabilities who requires protective oversight, assistance with the activities of daily living (ADLs), and room and board. AFC is administered by local departments of social services.
      • Certified Adult Residential Environment (CARE) programs license individuals to provide--in their own homes--room and board, assistance, and supervision to adults with disabilities who are capable of living in the community but are unable to live alone.

Massachusetts assisted living terms

  • Assisted Living Residence (ALR) The Massachusetts assisted living legislation defines an assisted living residence as any entity which provides room and board, administers personal care services for three or more adult residents who are not related to their care provider, and collects payments or third party reimbursements from or on behalf of residents.
  • Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC Usually comprised of independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care on one campus. Although they may offer assistance with ADL’s, CCRC’s are not required to obtain assisted living certification.
  • Housing with Services Apartments (not certified assisted living) that have additional services available to residents such as central dining, laundry, homemaking, personal care, activities and wellness programs.
  • Special Care Residence The Residence in its entirety or a separate and distinct section within the Residence that provides care and services for one or more Residents, and which is designed to address the specialized needs of individuals, including those who may need assistance in directing their own care due to cognitive or other impairments.
  • Special Care Unit A portion of a Special Care Residence designed for and occupied pursuant to a Residency Agreement by one or two individuals as the private living quarters of such individuals.

Michigan assisted living terms

Minnesota assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, retirement community, nursing homes, independent living
    • Retirement communities offer not only assisted living care, but also memory care and skilled nursing as needed. The term nursing home refers to skilled nursing care for seniors.
    • Congregate Housing is similar to independent living except that it usually provides convenience or supportive services like meals, housekeeping, and transportation in addition to rental housing.

Mississippi assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, personal care home, skilled nursing
    • Personal care homes in Mississippi are communities that are split into assisted living and residential sections. The residential side of personal care homes offers care for seniors with functional impairments.

Missouri assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, residential care facilities, intermediate care facilities
    • Residential care facilities in Missouri provide 24-hour care to three or more seniors, providing them with room, board, and protective oversight. They don’t require a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and residents must be able to make a path to safety unassisted. An intermediate care facility offers 24-hour room, board, personal care, and basic nursing care and health services. They’re supervised by a licensed nurse, directed by a physician, and they’re required to have a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator.

Montana assisted living terms

  • Adult Foster Care - An option of care whose hallmark is a small "family" setting for up to four residents. Personal care services, such as assistance with eating, bathing, dressing and grooming are provided to residents. There is medication management as well as general supervision.
  • Shared Housing - Another long-term living setup where two people choose to share a house, apartment, condo, or mobile home. If you are a senior citizen or disabled adult who lives alone, shared housing may be the choice for you. Each person would have a private bedroom, but share common areas like the living room, kitchen, family room, and laundry room. The house mates make decisions together about things like chores, cooking, privacy issues, and guests.
  • Retirement Home - multi-residence housing facility intended for senior citizens. Typically each person or couple in the home has an apartment-style room or suite of rooms. Additional facilities are provided within the building. This can include facilities for meals, gatherings, recreation activities, and some form of health or hospice care. A place in a retirement home can be paid for on a rental basis, like an apartment, or can be bought in perpetuity on the same basis as a condominium.
  • Link to further Montana assisted living definitions

Nebraska assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, adult day care, respite care, home care, skilled nursing
    • Assisted living facilities are residential communities designed for seniors who need a bit of assistance but still want to maintain a very independent lifestyle.

Nevada assisted living terms

  • Adult Foster Care - Homes for individual residential care in Nevada are licensed to provide food, shelter, assistance, and supervision for no more than two persons who are aged, infirm, physically disabled, or intellectually disabled. No public funding is available for services in these homes. Regulatory provisions for these settings are not included in this profile but a link to the provisions can found at the end.
  • Residential facilities for groups refer to an establishment that furnishes food, shelter, assistance, and limited supervision to persons who are aged or infirm, have physical or other disabilities, or have chronic illnesses. The term includes, without limitation, an assisted living facility.

New Hampshire assisted living terms

  • Assisted Living Residences - Supported Residential Health Care: Facilities provide social or health services by appropriately trained or licensed individuals to three or more residents. Facilities may not serve those who require nursing services complex enough to require 24-hour nursing supervision. Facilities may provide short-term medical care for residents who may be convalescing from an illness and these residents must be capable of self-evacuation.
  • Assisted Living Residences - Residential Care: Facilities offer assistance with personal and social activities that require a minimum of supervision, or health care that can be provided in a home or home-like setting.
  • Further information on New Hampshire assisted living terms and definitions

New Jersey assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, nursing home, retirement communities, skilled nursing
    • A retirement community in New Jersey may refer to assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing. The terms nursing home and skilled nursing mean the same thing and are used interchangeably.
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New Mexico assisted living terms

  • Independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, respite care
    • Assisted living is a form of long-term residential care for seniors who need some help with the activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing and taking some medications, but who still want to live somewhat independently.

New York assisted living terms

  • Adult homes, adult care facilities
    • Adult homes and adult care facilities are unique terms in the state of New York that are essentially the same as assisted living.

North Carolina assisted living term

  • Adult care home is an assisted living residence in which the housing management provides 24-hour scheduled and unscheduled personal care services to two or more residents, either directly or, for scheduled needs, through formal written agreement with licensed home care or hospice agencies.
  • Combination home means a nursing home offering one or more levels of care, including any combination of skilled nursing, intermediate care, and adult care home
  • Family care home means an adult care home having two to six residents.
  • Long-term care facility, Nursing Facility, Nursing Home

North Dakota assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, basic care facility, adult foster care, skilled nursing, adult day care

Ohio assisted living terms

  • Residential care facilities, supportive living facilities, adult care facilities, adult foster care
    • Residential care facility is a broad term that includes assisted living communities. It also includes supportive living facilities, also known as adult care facilities, which serve individuals with mental and physical disabilities.

Oklahoma assisted living terms

  • Personal care, assisted living, independent living, respite care, memory care
    • In the state of Oklahoma, personal care is similar to an assisted living facility in the services it offers, but it’s a Medicaid program.

Oregon assisted living terms

  • Personal care, nursing facility, residential care, adult foster care
    • Residential care is used interchangeably with assisted living, although residential care facilities are often smaller. Personal care communities provide seniors with all the services and social opportunities of assisted living. However, they also have licensed medical staff. They are not nursing homes and offer personal care like aid with grooming, bathing, and eating while also providing nursing care and medication administration. Personal care is state licensed, requiring the facility to follow specific regulations. Although these facilities are not required to offer 24-7 nursing presence, many communities do provide it.

Pennsylvania assisted living terms

  • Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Retirement Community, Short-Term Care (respite care or short-stay rehabilitation), and Skilled Nursing Care.
    • Long-Term Care Facility - A skilled nursing center or Personal Care residence that provides care to people who can’t be cared for at home or in the community.
    • Personal Care Community - A professionally managed residence for seniors who need help with everyday tasks, such as dressing, bathing, eating, or using the bathroom but don’t need full-time nursing care.

Rhode Island assisted living terms

  • Assisted Living Residence (ALR) - Assisted Living provides a combination of housing, personal assistance, supportive services, and health-related care. This residential option caters to individual needs by promoting dignity, independence, privacy, and autonomy while protecting the safety and health of residents. Assisted living encourages quality of life for all residents in a home-like environment.

South Carolina assisted living terms

  • Retirement community, nursing home, assisted living
    • A retirement community in South Carolina provides not only assisted living, but also memory care and skilled nursing as needed. Nursing homes refer to facilities offering skilled nursing.
  • A Community Residential Care Facility (CRCF) offers room and board and, unlike a boarding house, provides/coordinates a degree of personal care for a period of time in excess of 24 consecutive hours for two or more persons, 18 years old or older, not related to the licensee within the third degree of consanguinity.

South Dakota assisted living terms

  • Nursing homes, assisted living, retirement community, adult day care, home care, adult foster care
    • Retirement communities in South Dakota are CCRCs for active adults that include assisted living and other levels of care. Nursing homes refer to facilities that offer skilled nursing care. Adult foster care provides assistance for the needs of adults that require regular or periodic aid with daily living activities but do not need nursing services. These communities accept both government support and private pay.

Tennessee assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, residential homes for the aged
    • In Tennessee, residential homes for the aged are like a smaller assisted living facility that provides a home-like feel for seniors.

Texas assisted living terms

  • Texas Health and Human Services licenses assisted living facilities based on residents' physical and mental ability to evacuate the facility in an emergency and whether nighttime attendance is necessary.
  • Type A facility cares for residents who do not require routine attendance during sleeping hours and are capable of following directions in an emergency.
  • Type B facility is for residents who require staff assistance to evacuate, are not capable of following directions in an emergency and require nighttime attendance.
  • Adult foster care (AFC) provides a 24-hour living arrangement with supervision in an adult foster home for people who are unable to live independently in their own homes because of physical, mental, or emotional limitations.

Utah assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, nursing homes (intermediate care facilities), skilled nursing, hospice
    • In Utah, nursing homes are actually intermediate care facilities that provide a bridge between assisted living and skilled nursing.
    • Assisted living facility Type I is a residential facility that provides assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and social care to two or more ambulatory residents who are capable of achieving mobility sufficient to exit the facility without the assistance of another person.
    • Assisted living facility Type II is a residential facility that provides an array of coordinated supportive personal and health care services, available 24 hours a day, to residents who are physically disabled but able to direct their own care or who are cognitively impaired or physically disabled but able to evacuate from the facility or to a zone or area of safety, with the physical assistance of one person.

Vermont assisted living terms

  • Nursing home, assisted living, residential care home

Virginia assisted living terms

  • Assisted living facility means a non-medical group residential setting that provides or coordinates personal and health care services, 24-hour supervision, and assistance for the care of four or more adults who are aged, infirm, or disabled. Non-residential adult facilities are listed under Adult Day Care.
  • Residential living care is a level of service defined as minimal assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and/or medication administration. Minimal assistance means dependency in only one ADL or one or more instrumental activities of daily living. Minimal assistance includes services provided by the facility to individuals who are assessed as capable of maintaining themselves in an independent living status.
  • Assisted living care is a level of service defined as moderate assistance with ADLs. Moderate assistance is provided to persons who are dependent in two or more ADLs and/or who are dependent in behavior patterns (e.g., abusive, aggressive, disruptive) as documented on a uniform assessment instrument (AI).
  • Further information on Virginia assisted living licensure terms and definitions

Washington assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, nursing homes, adult family homes, CCRCs, enhanced assisted living (EAL)
    • It’s important to note that in the state of Washington, enhanced assisted living (EAL) refers to a midpoint between an assisted living facility and skilled nursing. It’s not the same thing as an assisted living community.

West Virginia assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, respite care, nursing home, independent living, retirement community, adult foster care, residential care communities
    • Retirement communities in West Virginia are similar to CCRCs, providing assisted living and other levels of care as needed. Adult foster care provides a home for individuals with developmental and mental disabilities. Nursing homes are facilities that offer skilled nursing for seniors.

Wisconsin assisted living terms

  • Adult Day Care (ADC): An Adult Day Care Center (ADCC) is an entity that provides services for part of a day in a group setting to adults who need an enriched health, supportive or social experience, and who may need assistance with activities of daily living, supervision, or protection. Adult day care centers are a type of Assisted Living.
  • Community-Based Residential Facility (CBRF): A Community-Based Residential Facility (CBRF) is a place where adults who are not related to the operator or administrator reside and receive care, treatment or services that are above the level of room and board and that may include up to three hours per week of nursing care per resident. Adults residing in a CBRF should not require care above intermediate level nursing care.  A CBRF is a place where five or more unrelated people live together in a community setting. CBRFs range in size from 5 to 257 beds. The minimum age requirement for residing in a CBRF is 18 years. CBRF is a type of Assisted Living.
  • Residential Care Apartment Complex (RCAC): A Residential Care Apartment Complex (RCAC) is an independent apartment complex where five or more adults reside. Apartments must each have a lockable entrance and exit; a kitchen, including a stove (or microwave oven); and individual bathroom, sleeping and living areas. RCAC is a type of Assisted Living. An RCAC does not include a nursing home or a community-based residential facility, but may be physically part of a structure that is a nursing home or community-based residential facility.  Sizes of RCACs can vary. Currently, RCACs range from 5-109 individual apartments, with the average complex size being 36 apartments

Wyoming assisted living terms

  • Assisted living, adult day care, adult foster homes, boarding home, intermediate care homes, nursing care homes
    • Intermediate care facilities offer health-related care and training to individuals who are mentally disabled or those with related conditions on a regular basis. However, these individuals don’t need the degree of treatment and care of a nursing facility or hospital.

Next Steps

Think assisted living might be right for your loved one? Explore one of the topics below to learn more:

Evaluating Assisted Living CommunitiesUnderstanding the Cost of Assisted Living
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written by:
Marlena del Hierro

Marlena del Hierro earned her Master of Arts degree in Gerontology from San Francisco State University and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from California State University. She also serves in an advisory capacity for Jukebox Health. Marlena is a vocal advocate for evolving the aging paradigm, and is a frequent contributor to public discussions about aging. She has served as a resource for media outlets like WGBH, FOX News, CNBC and the Today Show.

To learn more about Seniorly's editorial guidelines, click here.

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