Enhanced assisted living care exists for families that need a specific level of care and comfort for their loved one that they can’t find in traditional assisted living or skilled nursing facilities.
Many families have loved ones who need a combination of what an assisted living community and skilled nursing facility offer. They need the comforts of home with around-the-clock access to medical care.
Learn what enhanced assisted living care is, the difference between this type of care and others, and how to find the right community that will truly partner with you in your loved one’s care.
What is Enhanced Assisted Living Care?
Enhanced assisted living isn’t just a term, it’s a license that assisted living communities can obtain to differentiate their level of care from others.
An enhanced assisted living license (EALR) allows communities to provide assisted living that goes above and beyond traditional assisted living levels of care.
This means these communities can provide a full spectrum of clinical support that addresses challenging medical conditions.
Communities are staffed, trained, and able to legally care for residents with even the most complex care needs.
Enhanced Assisted Living vs. Skilled Nursing Facilities: What’s the Difference?
Skilled nursing facilities are in-patient treatment and rehabilitation centers. Facilities have licensed nurses and other medical professionals on staff to care for residents, including physical and occupational therapists.
In skilled nursing facilities, seniors will receive an initial assessment to determine the level of care they require. Many residents in a nursing home are there either permanently, or for temporary rehabilitation.
This type of care, for people requiring rehabilitation, usually follows an emergency hospital stay, and once the treatments have concluded, the person needing care can return home or to a nursing home.
How Does Enhanced Care Differ from Traditional Assisted Living?
Traditional assisted living communities are designed to provide homelike settings and daily assistance with meals and personal care. Emphasis is placed on promoting a resident’s independence and overall health and wellbeing.
While traditional assisted living does provide some medical services such as monitoring medication and providing access to emergency care, these communities don’t provide extensive care.
Enhanced assisted living is a combination of skilled nursing-type services and assisted living. Residents can live in this type of community whether they live more independently or require memory care, feeding tubes, specialized diets, or Hoyer Lifts.
Is Enhanced Assisted Living Care Right for Your Loved One?
Enhanced assisted living is right for your loved one if they require more assistance than a traditional assisted living community can provide.
This type of care is especially helpful for those with the following:
- Dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Congestive heart failure
- Diabetes
- Incontinence
Enhanced assisted living staff use acuity levels, or levels of care, to accurately determine the care and treatments your loved one needs. This type of community doesn’t require your loved one to leave if their care needs change, because they can provide any level of care.
But, not all enhanced assisted living communities are the same, even though they may have the same EALR license. Enhanced assisted living is true “aging in place,” where your loved one has a home no matter how their illnesses may progress over time.
You can expect the following types of care at The Kensington Enhanced Assisted Living community:
- Certified care managers partnered with each resident
- Team of nurses on-site every day, and several on-site overnight
- Transportation and scheduling director to manage all appointments and keep families in the loop
- Onsite rehabilitation services such as physical, occupational, or speech therapies
- Assessments for falls, balance, wellness, fitness, and hydration
The best enhanced care communities provide a perfect balance of specialized care and time for fun activities and socialization.
Mental stimulation and daily comforts go hand-in-hand with a resident’s overall health and wellbeing.
Find a Community to be Your Partner in Care
Not all enhanced care communities offer the right balance of care and comfort, or love and support.
The Kensington difference is rooted in Our Promise to love and care for your family as we do our own. Every aspect of care stems from this promise.
The Kensington White Plains is licensed to provide the full spectrum of care your loved one needs. We are your true partners in care, ensuring your loved one’s needs are met and exceeded at every opportunity.
In addition to expert care and a wide range of services, we are experts in comfort and fun.
This includes:
- Cognitive stimulating programs
- Ever-changing calendar of events
- Music therapy
- Pet therapy and Robopets
- Pocket programs catered to unique interests
Call us today to chat with our team and learn more about what we can do for you and your family.
The transition to an assisted living community can be challenging, but we are here for you every step of the way.
We are confident that with The Kensington, you will find a home.