What is a shared room like in assisted living?

I didn't know that you had to share a room in asst living. I know you DO at a nursing home, but not there. There are asst living places that take medicare and other low income monies you know. My mother-in-law is in an asst living facility, but if and when her money runs out, she will have to move somewhere else that DOES take just SSI etc. because her place doesn't. We looked at an Avamere place that takes both private money & low income, and the only difference was that the room wasn't as big in the low income area. No one there had to share a room that I know of.

I've been in two. One was a very large one bedroom apartment with kithen, bath and small patio and the other was the same just smaller. No sharing in assisted living that I've heard of.

In the assisted living place that my aunt was, they have shared apartments. It is for the people whose income just won't cover the full cost of a private apartment. Usually it is a two bedroom unit with two baths. Instead of paying $2000 for a studio, the last that I heard was $1600 each for this type of shared unit. I think they called it a friendship unit. I think it just depends on the assisted living community.

I would call and see if the sleeping areas are separated by a wall, and if it has two baths. Some assisted living have two bedrooms that have a shared bathroom. I would call and ask questions. If they have to share a bath, maybe a plastic drawer storage unit can be used to store her stuff, or if the area in the sleeping area is big enough you can find something that can be used as a vanity, and clothes storage area that she could pull a chair up to. If they are sharing the common areas like the kitchen, you could buy a small dorm frig. for her to keep stuff she wants to snack on in her bedroom if it is large enough.

It depends upon the community. Your best advisor in this situation is the director of the community. Make a visit to the places that are options for your mom and have an open discussion about your concerns at each and find out how they handle the situation. Only once you know the living arrangement and the efforts the staff make can you decide how you can help and how you can allay your mom's fears.

Hammy810, my mother's sister is in the NH rehab right now and I know it's not the same as AL, but her roomate has been there for 5 years and has achieved a personalized area even though the rooms are small. There is a curtain separating their areas, but the lady who has been there has her bed moved against the wall, more like a day bed. She has added her won spread, and decorative pillows, a gliding rocker, and a small chest of drawers, which is placed with it's back to the curtain separating the two sides of the room. It's tight, but it's personalized in a way to make it seem much more 'homey'. They are allowed to have their own tv's, etc..and she has that against the opposite wall sitting in a small shelving unit that also has some personal arifacts. It makes the best of a less than ideal situation...and the lady is so sweet and has shown much patience in the fact that we have to pass through her 'space' in order to visit with my aunt. I hope this gives you some ideas on how to make your Mom's space more personalized and private. My best wishes go out to you!