Information About A Texas Assisted Living Residence
October 27th, 2010 by Adriana Noton, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
An assisted living residence is a facility designed for senior citizens or persons with disabilities who need help with some activities of daily living (ADLs). These people may need assistance with things like managing their medications or taking a shower or bath, but they do not need the 24-hour care and supervision provided by a skilled nursing facility. In Texas, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are licensed as personal care facilities. By Texas law, facilities that provide services to 4 or fewer people do not need to be licensed; facilities that have a census larger than 4 do require a license.
The 1980s saw some interesting trends in the United States. The population was aging, but also staying healthier for longer. Families were moving far away from each other, so that older people who did need assistance had no one nearby to help them. Many of these people resisted going to nursing homes because of the lack of privacy and the institutional atmosphere. Assisted living facilities, which modeled themselves more after apartment complexes than hospitals began to open their doors during the 1980s, and they immediately found a receptive audience.
More than one million people in the United States currently call an assisted living residence home. Some of these people have cognitive impairments due to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, others are physically impaired but cognitively intact, and still others suffer from both kinds of impairments. Texas is home to 830 licensed and 4000 unlicensed personal care facilities.
An assisted living residence provides customers with a room and with three nutritious meals every day. In addition, the facility also provides staff to help with activities of daily living. Common needs include help managing one’s medications, performing personal hygiene tasks such as bathing, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom. Some residents may also need help with activities such as transferring from a wheelchair and eating.
ALFs charge a basic rate for room and board. In addition to that, they also charge for the assistance each person needs to function. The more help someone needs, the more he or she pays to remain in the facility.
A recent survey found that the average cost of a personal care residence in Austin, Texas is $1500 per month. That cost goes up to $2000 per month when you consider the services received by most people in an assisted living residence. By way of contrast, nursing homes in the same region charge anywhere from $3000 to $4000 per month.
Throughout the United States, approximately 90% of ALF residents pay for their care from their own assets and resources. Texas was among the first two states to approve laws for a Community-Based Alternatives program which allows Medicaid to help pay for the cost of assisted living care. Over 20,000 Texans have taken advantage of this program.
Many people wonder when their loved one needs more care than an ALF can provide. Most states have not set any clear guidelines. Texas is one of the few that does have such guidelines. By Texas law, ALF residents must be able to comprehend instructions given in an emergency and must be able to self-evacuate in the event of a crisis. For instance, someone who is so confused they cannot understand which exit to use would not be appropriate for ALF care in Texas. Texas guidelines also state that ALF care is not appropriate for anyone who needs to be supervised and cared for 24/7, or for anyone requiring invasive procedures like medications delivered through a PICC line or catheter or tube feeding.
Happen to be looking for Assisted Living Texas or Assisted Living California? Our directory provides up-to-date and comprehensive listings for seniors across North American.
