Despite the requirement that residents in board and care facilities must be ambulatory and continent to be considered for admission, the time may come when the assistance and services offered there are no longer sufficient to provide for the needs of a resident. He/she may no longer be able to bathe, eat, dress or toilet him/herself without assistance and may require other attention. While in the past this meant transfer to another facility, recently, as the concept of "aging in place" has gained popularity, many residents do not want to be moved to another facility when their needs increase.
Aging in place means that the resident remains where he/she is and a higher level of service is brought to the resident. In some states, this can be arranged through special government funded "assisted living programs." Although this terminology is used to describe different forms of care, board and cares in many states can apply for special licenses permitting them to administer such a program. This usually is done by assigning a qualified aide to care for a resident as well as by providing other services such as nursing care. "Cluster care," a phrase you'll hear when an assisted living program is being discussed, refers to the assignment of one aide to care for several residents. It is also possible for a resident to go directly from home or hospital into an assisted living program within a board and care home.
Visiting The Facility
While visiting each facility that you are considering is important, don't expect to learn everything about a facility in a single visit. Try to arrange several visits at different times of day to get a true picture of life in the facility. If you are looking for a board and care for yourself, bring along a family member or friend when you visit since that person may notice things that you miss. If you take notes about what you see and hear they will be helpful later as you try to decide which facility you prefer.