Who provides the furniture in assisted living and what is typically NOT included?

Again coming in late since I have been away.

Think of an AL as an apartment. Everything you need for that apt u will need for an AL. It is not Skilled Nursing, it a residence. Other than 3 meals a day and snacks, the resident supplies everything. Yes, they may provide a small frig and microwave and have a little kitchenette. But unless u want to rent it, you bring in any furniture they need. With my mom it was a single bed, chest if drawers, her recliner, a stand for her TV and a small bookcase. She had enough closet space to store some stuff and have a seasons worth of clothing. She paid for toiletries. Brought her own linens, towels and toiletries. Also, her own depends and wipes. All an AL does is provide meals, care, entertainment and activities. Mom cleaning and laundry were included in the room rent. I kept her out of season clothes at my home in totes.

My moms assisted living apartment had a microwave, which we unplugged because she was hiding things in it. It had a small sink and some cabinets. We brought in her bed, an armoire, a small sofa and a chair with a foot stool. We put her TV on a small credenza. I hung pictures on the wall and a mirror. It was set up nicely. Last year we had to move her out of assisted living into memory care. It is basically a room, so we had to downsize once more. Now she has a bed, a side table and the credenza with the TV on top of it and a chair.

Do not take anything that you don't want broken, hidden or stolen. It happens when you get a building full of people with dementia.

Also you do not want the apartment or room to be cluttered and hard to get around in, so less is more!

My mother had to bring her own furniture and such. Meals were provided but she had some of her snacks and microwave meals in case she didn't want to go down. Delivery was $5 per meal. The problem was she was moved to memory care and half of her belongings had to be moved back to her house. So take as little as possible as to avoid more moving costs. She went from a one bedroom to a studio which had the same basics, cable and refrigerator and microwave.

drat55: Before my late mother suffered a life ending ischemic stroke, I had planned to move her into an AL. I gathered pieces of clothing, articles of personal nature such as deodorant, soap and the like. I was not told that I needed to move any furniture items into the unit and at that rate since I had been living out of state with her, I may quite literally have dropped over from exhaustion IF that had been in the contract.

my wife had to go in to memory care facility. I wheat to Ashly’s furniture look at what they had. Had it delivered to the facility. Some older facilities might have furniture or can tell you where you can get it at a good price. My wife in A new facility so I had to order. Another facility said used furniture that rents to model homes and staging companies.

I use to live in a AL. Some do provide the basic. Bed Bedside table bed linens but not much else. I'd start calling around and making tour appointments.
Don't believe everything they tell you. Their job is to sell you on the facility. Bringing things from home is usually encouraged.
Before going on a tour, make a list of things you want to ask. If you're looking into a AL for a L/O see if they want to go with you, if they don't, before you go look at the AL ask if it's ok if you film the tour to show your l/o.

Good Luck.

My advice, downsize as much as you can! Get rid of all the things you haven't used or touched in the past couple of years: clothes, books, records, jewelry, "best dishes", pictures, souvenirs from travels, unfinished projects, hobbies that you no longer do, etc. Only keep a few mementos that make you feel happy, useful furniture, useful and comfortable clothes, a few sets of linens (if needed), a few kitchen items, etc.

Find the one you like and ask.

As you can gather, each place determines what will be provided. It is best just to ask.

Some provide beds (and you can bring in your own if you want to), and some you have to provide your own bed. They provided an amoire for my Mom, however, it didn't have shelves at her level, so we brought in a dresser. They had a recliner, however, my Mom couldn't get in/out of a recliner, so we brought in 2 chairs, one for her and one for a visitor and asked them to remove the recliner. We brought in our own hamper. They provided a table and lamp next to the bed. They provided a wastebasket. We brought in all the pictures and wall art to personalize the room. They said that we could use nails, however, we used the 3M command hooks instead. We brought in her exercycle. That was about all we could fit in her room since it was 1 of 2 rooms in the suite and both people shared the bathroom. However, once she moves into a room of her own, we plan to bring a small table so that we can eat and do activities at the table with her.

They also optionally provided a small refrigerator and microwave, the size and type you would find in a hotel. They couldn't do that in my Mom's room as her suitemate was on oxygen. If my Mom had a private room, she could keep snacks in her room. In a suite situation, the nurses station kept the snacks. The nurse area does provide other light snacks such as jello, pudding cups and "juice".

As for the bed, if we brought our own bed, we had to provide 2 sets of sheets and blanket and any waterproof cover if desired. However, if we used their bed, then we only needed to provide a bedspread, if desired. We brought my Mom's own pillows, even though one pillow was provided. We found out that electric blankets are NOT allowed. Either way, they would consider the sheets part of the laundry. So if they did laundry, they would also do the sheets. If I did laundry, then I would have to launder the sheets. You could bring your own towels and provide your own toilet paper if you didn't like their towels and toilet paper.

We brought our own shampoo, conditioner and bath wash. I forgot to label it. 2 months later, it went missing. Apparently someone thought it was their shampoo and conditioner and took it to their room. Now the bottles are marked with her name. The only mirror was in the bathroom, so if you want a mirror in the bedroom, you would need to provide that.

We did not have to bring her toilet safety rails as they had handicap bars next to the toilet and in the shower. The shower had a pull down seat, so we didn't have to bring her shower chair either.

If my Mom watched television, we would have to bring in a television. They would provide the cable box and cable service. They provided internet access, one router to a room.

So it depends. It is best to ask the facility and also inquire about laundry service.

Assistive Living (AL) facilities are typically not regulated by Medicare/Medicaid (the feds) but instead are regulated by states instead. So State Law defines what the must offer in the way of furniture. For some AL facilities, one has to provide it all, the AL just provides a cable TV hook up and WiFi but everything has to be brought in. Others provide bed and small night stand. If a hospital bed is needed, Medicare may pay for this but it takes time to process this, so not a last minute/next day thing to arrange. In other AL facilities, one can add the cost of renting anything one wants to the monthly bill. The later may make sense if there are resources and a LO may not be there that long; cheaper than hiring movers to move things in and then things out. Anything brought in, has to be removed with the LO leaves so there are costs on the front and back end if one has to move in furniture. Some AL provide linens other not, ask. Ditto for laundry, some do at a cost OR allow you to pick it up weekly to do it for your LO but that can be very hard to keep up with.

Medicare/Medicaid qualified facilities (long term nursing or MC care, Rehab care) on the other hand provide things such as hospital beds, assistive equipment (think wheelchair, walkers, things to help transfer people), a private phone, linnens, somewhere to store clothing (typically a very small closet and/or set of draws such as a night stand), a lounge chair (as they really should be out of bed if they can), hospital bed type tray/table, TV. Generally, one may move in some items within reason so that one can still maneuver the hospital bed and any medical or assistive equipment in the room. Most will allow decorations too, art work, some plants, etc. to make it more "homey." With COVID still around, most of these facilities do all the laundry (personal clothing too) as they do not want this going out and who knows how it was handled.

Regardless of facility type, ask and they should also give you a list of what to bring OR NOT (lots of prohibited items too, so make sure to check that too.) Also, ask about food as some places prohibit food types served or that can be brought in (like no nuts given nut allergies, etc.)

Is this the same for SNF? Moving in that direction and never thought about this. Not allowed to visit b/c COVID.

I just went through all this myself with my mom. I had to provide for all of her personal belongings including furnishings. I will say this Medicare does pay for a lot of the safety items if the resident is in need of them. For example, my mom needed a hospital bed and as long as her physician provided a prescription for it, they pay 80% and resident pays the other 20%. So I suggest paying the 20% instead of renting if their stay is long term. Also, I go on a website called “a place for mom.” They are awesome. They helped me so much with finding the right place for my mom. I hope this helps you. I know it can become overwhelming, but it does workout in the long run. Good luck.

It must vary by region. In my area, most AL facilities provide a comfortable recliner, bed, chest of drawers, nightstand and even a mattress if you need one. The only thing we needed to bring was tv, radio, photos, lamp, etc. Independent living suites might allow more, but AL residents would eat in the dining room.

"Typically " is the key word here. Normally residents move in their own last treasured items, including their own bed. All furniture is "typically" the residents and they are responsible for moving it in, and out as well. In some instances, where Hospice is already in place, the Hospice agency provides a hospital bed.
Your residence may differ in this; best way to find out is a quick call to check.

Find an AL that you like, then ask those questions directly to the AL. In my parent's 2 ALs, nothing was included at all, except the fridge and microwave.

In my LO’s AL a reclining chair, refrigerator, and television were provided.

We took her twin bed and an oak dresser, an upholstered chair (she didn’t like the recliner) then a small kitchen table with two chairs.

The homes that I am familiar with provide no furniture, maybe a TV that is about it.

So what is included furniture wise....nothing.