In Washington State, Assisted Living Facility (ALF) is used to describe a particular type of residential care facility. However, it is our experience that
Assisted living in Olympia WA is a generic term used by the general public to discuss many forms of senior housing options.
Whether it’s a spouse, parent or sibling, the challenges of aging bodies can sometimes add “caregiver” to our already long “to do” list. While most of us want to say “I would never…”, sometimes moving a loved one to some form of assisted living in Olympia WA may actually be the best choice for them! Unfortunately, this decision is often made at a time of great stress so having someone to help you not only understand the terminology but to get to know you and understand your loved one’s particular needs can minimize the amount of time your family needs to spend on the education and exploration phase of this process.
Moving a loved one to assisted living in Olympia WA or the surrounding communities can increase the quality of life for both the loved one and the family member that has become the “caregiver” by freeing up valuable time and energy. By allowing others to be responsible for the details of daily living your loved one now needs help with, the caregiver is free to enjoy the relationship itself. Now, instead of managing mom’s personal needs, you can spend time with her gathering important information about the family’s history, playing a game or sharing a sunset.
Additionally, professional caregivers are often better trained on how to insure that your loved one gets the help they need while maintaining as much independence as possible!
Of course, under the commonly used term of “assisted living” there are many sub-categories such as adult day care, adult foster care, adult family homes, in-home care, senior housing, independent living, respite care and more.
Finding the right assisted living in Olympia WA begins with understanding the terminology in more detail:
An assisted living facility (ALF) is licensed to provide housing and care services to seven or more people in a home or facility located in a residential neighborhood.
An adult family home (AFH) is licensed to provide housing and care services for up to six adults in a regular house located in a residential neighborhood.
The AFH may be run by a family, single person, or business partners. The AFH may also hire other employees. Some AFHs allow pets. In some homes, multiple languages are spoken.
All AFHs and ALFs provide housing and meals (room and board) and assume general responsibility for the safety and care of the resident. What additional services are offered is different for each home and may include:
- Varying levels of assistance with personal care.
- Intermittent nursing care(a nurse available on a parttime basis).
- Assistance with or administering of medications.
Some AFHs and ALFs also provide specialized care to people living with developmental disabilities, dementia, or mental illness.
Nursing homes provide 24-hour supervised nursing care, personal care, therapy, nutrition management, organized activities, social services, room, board and laundry.
If you prefer not to have to learn all of these terms yourself, but want to be sure that you make educated choices, please consider enlisting our free consulting service.