With the support of staff, nurses, and customized service and care plans, residents can maximize their independence. The goal of assisted living is to help an individual continue living as independently as possible.

There are hundreds of assisted living communities in the greater Washington, DC area. They are designed for seniors who are no longer able to live on their own safely, but do not require the high level of care provided in a nursing home. Assisted living residences, also referred to as personal care, residential care, or domeciliary care, may be a part of a retirement community nursing home, elderly housing, or they may stand alone.

Residents live in private apartments that frequently have a limited kitchen area. They may have assistance with medications, activities of daily living, meals and housekeeping. Staff is available 24 hours per day for additional safety.

Most communities provide licensed nursing services. Social activities and scheduled transportation are also usually available. A special unit for Alzheimer’s residents may also be available.

Many options have emerged under the name of assisted living, ranging from a converted single family home to a community with 100 apartment-style living units and abundant common space, to everything in between.

Depending on the state, assisted living programs may be licensed to provide low, moderate, or high levels of care (levels 1, 2, or 3, respectively) based on the frequency, scope, and intensity of services offered. It’s best to evaluate a program’s overall atmosphere, physical features, services, costs and fee structure, individual living units, social and recreational activities, and food service based on personal preferences to find the right fit.


Years ago, seniors in need of long-term care had two options: stay at home with help from family and friends, or move to a nursing home. The increasing demands placed upon the “sandwich generation” to juggle multiple personal and professional responsibilities, together with the reluctance of most seniors to move into costly institutional environments, have led to the rapid emergence of assisted living as the preferred housing and healthcare alternative.

Assisted living promotes maximum independence and dignity for each resident and encourages the involvement of a resident’s family, neighbors, and friends. Staff is available to meet the scheduled and unscheduled needs of residents, the majority of whom are frail seniors. The unique philosophy of assisted living - emphasizing resident autonomy, individuality, and dignity - results in a greater degree of flexibility, choice, and shared responsibility than in most traditional long-term care settings.

There are many critical factors contributing to the growth of the assisted living industry:

• The aging of the American population, including the dramatic increase in the number of persons aged 85 and older. The population of people 85 and older is expected to increase by 33.2 percent between the years 2000 and 2010.
  
  
• About 6.5 million older people need assistance with daily living activities. As the number of older Americans continues to increase, that number is expected to double by 2020.
  
  
• The continued increase in the number of older people who live alone. Women continue to outlive men, and the likelihood that either will live alone increases with age. Rising divorce rates and the growing numbers of people choosing not to marry also contribute to this trend.
  
  
• Changes in the role of women, who traditionally have been the primary caregivers of older people. The number of women in the work force grew from 20.5 percent in 1915 to more than 50 percent in 1995.
  
  
• The increased net worth of older people. The number of persons 80 or older with incomes sufficient to afford Assisted Living has increased. Over 57 percent had incomes topping $15,000 in 1999, and over 38 percent had incomes of at least $25,000.*
  
  
• As the nation looks for ways to make health care more affordable, Assisted Living is a less costly alternative to nursing homes or home health care. The per-diem rate for Assisted Living in a private room is about two-thirds that of an equivalent room in a nursing home.
  
  *Sources: Claritas, Inc.; The Assisted Living Federation of America
  

• The average age of residents in 2000 was 80 years. Over two-thirds of residents are female; 31 percent are male.
• The typical resident is an 80-year-old woman who is mobile, but needs assistance with approximately two activities of daily living.
• 19 percent of residents need no help taking care of their activities of daily living (ADLs), others need help varying degrees. On average, assisted living residents needed help with 2.25 ADLs.
• 93 percent of residents need or accept help with housework. 86 percent need or accept help with their daily medication.
• 46 percent moved to the facility from their homes, 10 percent came from a nursing facility, 20 percent came from another assisted living residence, 14 percent came from hospitals.
  
  *Source: National Center for Assisted Living’s 2000 Survey of Assisted Living Facilities.