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Assisted Living in California
Assisted Living facilities generally provide a minimum set
of managed living conditions for people who are not able to
fully care for themselves. Although an assisted living
facility is not typically a government or hospital operated
site, various medical staff are usually on hand, as well as
help with other daily living challenges. The goal of an
assisted living facility is to provide maximum independence
while ensuring that every need of its residents are
fulfilled. One common factor among assisted living
facilities is that staff members are available 24
hours a day to meet scheduled and unscheduled needs.
This list of services in a general expectation of an
assisted living facility:
- Emergency monitoring service in every room/apartment
- Medical services and medication management
- Health and exercise programs
- Cooling
- Housekeeping
- 24-hour staff
- Assistance with daily living tasks such as eating, bathing,
and dressing
- Transportation
- Laundry services
- Social and leisure time management
There are more than 6,500 Assisted Living residences caring
for more than 150,000 residents in California. Residents may
need help due to an accident or injury, mental condition, or
medical condition. Alzheimer's, Mental retardation, and
traumatic head injuries are some of the many reasons why
assisted living may be required.
Assisted Living communities in California are licensed
Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) and are
regulated by the Department of Social Services. Regular
inspections by state officials, staff training and
certification requirements, family and community
involvement, and ongoing quality assurance efforts work
together to help ensure quality care.
Just as varied as the reasons why assisted living may be
required are the types of facilities available. You may
expect to see a hospital-like environment, but in most cases
that is not what you will find. Although some assisted care
locations may operate in this design, more and more
facilities are designed to mimic normal apartment buildings,
town-homes, or in some cases communities - complete with
shopping and activity centers. |
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