As they age, New York residents may find they need more assistance with day-to-day tasks. While family and friends help when they can, it may not be enough to tackle household chores and daily maintenance. If their quality of life begins to suffer, many seniors choose to move into a community residence.
Nursing homes provide 24-hour assistance and specialized care to those who need it. But many elderly folks do not require such medically intensive support. They simply need help. Assisted living facilities fill the gap by assisting without additional medical support.
Residents of a nursing home need trained and licensed nursing staff to provide regular medical treatments and monitoring. The environment of a nursing home is more clinically focused. According to Medicaid.gov, an eligible nursing home resident requires rehabilitation, the assistance of skilled nursing staff or long-term care that goes beyond simple living support.
Assisted living facilities are less medically specialized. Residents do not need constant medical supervision or aid. Instead, they require personal care assistance with more straightforward tasks like bathing, eating or mobility. Assisted living communities feel more like home than a typical nursing facility. Staff members are available to aid with day-to-day tasks. There may be a medical center on-site for immediate care needs.
The New York State Department of Health provides some assistance to those seeking assisted living facilities over nursing homes. The Assisted Living Program provides services including room and board, personal care and certain types of therapy. However, to qualify for the ALP program, the recipient must not need the level of care provided at a nursing home facility.