Assisted Living is a supportive senior living option promoting independence and personal dignity in a safe, home-like environment. Help with the tasks of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, evening care and medication monitoring, is personally tailored to each individual's personal needs and preferences.

Understanding the difference between Assisted Living and a Nursing Home is essential to effectively weighing your senior living options.

Assisted Living promotes independence and emphasizes wellness in a warm, dignified, community setting. Residents live in their own private apartment that they can furnish and decorate as they choose. Residents choose what they want to eat at meals in restaurant style dining rooms, and they have the freedom to decide which activities they want to participate in or how they want to spend their day.

Nursing homes take care of people who are sick and need round-the-clock skilled nursing care. Their institutionalized settings are often not conducive to encouraging independence. Health care experts estimate that up to 30% of elders residing in nursing homes actually do not need round-the-clock care. Assisted Living offers them a place to call home that offers more cheerful surroundings, privacy, space and dignity

Assisted Living Costs. The cost of Assisted Living, which varies from community to community, is based on the type and size of the rental apartment, as well as the level of care needs and the service options chosen by the resident. In New England, Assisted Living monthly rates typically fall within the range of $4,000 to $7,500 per month. Alzheimer's and dementia care is more expensive, with a typical range of $6,000 to $9,500 per month.

Nursing Home Costs. In comparison, Nursing Homes in New England average $8,000 to $12,000 per month. If you need 24-hour skilled nursing care to handle a variety of complex medical issues, this is the option you need.

Home Health Care Costs. Many people also assess the cost of Home Health Care (HHC) when deciding which option to choose – staying at home with services or moving to an Assisted Living community. HHC is usually based on an hourly rate. In New England, this rate ranges from $23 to $28 an hour, depending on the geographic area.

There are many services available and residents get to choose which services they need and want (and pay for).

Assisted Living provides meals, personal care assistance (help with showering, dressing and personal hygiene), medication reminders, weekly laundering of towels and bed linens, trash removal, weekly housekeeping and apartment maintenance, social and cultural activities, transportation, wellness programs including daily exercise classes, and more!

6 Questions to Ask When Looking For Assisted Living
Do you have apartments available now? 
What types of apartments do you currently have available?
What services does my monthly fee include? 
What types of activities and events do you offer?
Do you offer free transportation, or other transportation alternatives? 
Do you offer on-site health services?

1.  Assess your needs. 
2. Know what questions to ask. 
3. Take a tour of the facility. 
4. Study the fees and the contract. 
5. Find out about the staff. 
6. Look into the medical services. 
7. Find out what types of activities are offered. 
8. Observe the staff in action.

Assisted Living Accommodates Cars – With Caveats

You may have to pay for parking, worry about parking spaces, and abide by parking rules. ... In fact, in a 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey, 88% of residential-care facilities said they provided space for residents to park cars.