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Newsletter Articles - Assisted Living |
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Assisted living facilities are a rapidly expanding source of supportive housing with services that are increasingly being marketed as a source of long-term care for people with Alzheimer�s disease and other dementia. For families with a loved one who has Alzheimer�s, assisted living facilities hold out significant promise to provide a more appropriate level of care than a nursing home for persons with some cognitive impairment. The Alzheimer�s Association recently funded a study at the Research Triangle Institute on how family members define quality care in an assisted living facility. Family Members� Views: What is Quality in Assisted Living Facilities Providing Care to People with Dementia? is intended to generate information that will help families and elders make more informed choices. The Northern Virginia Chapter was one of five chapters that participated in the study. The report�s findings fall into four topic areas:
The study found that staffing levels, attitudes, care practices that promote and maintain function, and safety and environmental amenities all play a role in determining the quality of an assisted living facility. As a loved one�s needs change, the quality of the staff and the care the resident receives take precedence over some of the environmental amenities that were initially central to family members. Copies of the report are available for $12 and may be requested by calling the Alzheimer�s Association National Public Policy Office in Washington, DC at 202-393-7737.
Last updated: July 13, 1998
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© 1997, 1998 & 1999 Alzheimer's Association, Northern Virginia Chapter. All rights reserved. |