In 2020 assisted living is the fastest growing and most popular long term care option in the US. According to the National Survey of Residential Care Facilities, there are more than 31,000 communities for assisted living in the US. And as for the number of seniors in assisted living, it's at least one million.

So how did assisted living begin? Here we’ll give you the cliff notes version.

Assisted living was created largely because of the negative public opinion about skilled nursing services 25 years ago.

The philosophy behind assisted living includes giving seniors independence, privacy, and a place where they can live out their golden years in dignity.

It encourages interaction between residents, staff members, and their family members. Initially, assisted living was viewed by family members as an option for seniors who couldn't afford to live at home on their own. It has since evolved into a lifestyle choice that many seniors willingly make. That's because assisted living offers a wide variety of living options, enough to suit almost everyone's unique tastes.

Federal and state governments also support assisted living as an option for long term care, due to the fact that it's often less expensive than nursing home care.

As we attributed to earlier, the public held a mostly negative view of the quality of nursing home care, as well as its high costs, so federal and state governments began to fund Medicaid for assisted living care. Currently, more than 120,000 people receive partial or full Medicaid funding for their assisted living expenses.

Timeline of Assisted Living

The disdain for nursing home care and the shift towards senior housing simultaneously occurred between 1979 and 1985. We witnessed a new business model forming for senior housing, which placed more importance on service capacity and consumer-oriented care.

From 1986 to 1993, everyone began to take an interest in this model. The government took an interest, and providers began to spring up and create new assisted living communities. There were four types of communities created including hybrid (remodeling of the old style), housing (for people ages 55 and up), hospitality (resort-style living), and health care (continued care).

From 1994 to 2000 is when assisted living really began to take off with Wall Street bringing in new financial investors. The quality of care provided became the number one factor of importance for choosing an Assisted Living Community. Today there are many problems that must be addressed by quality assisted living care, including longer lifespans, the epidemic of chronic illnesses and disease, and the growing boomer market.

The market has endeavored to meet the demands of the growing number of people who need specific levels of care. For example, living spaces may include shared quarters, individual rooms, and apartment-style living. A high quality assisted living facility should strive to create a home-like atmosphere while promoting independence.

Assisted Living for Alzheimer's Patients

But what about the history of dementia and memory care? There were communities built for this as well, and they are called "special care units." These were built differently, with a wing for additional security, dementia-friendly architecture, and cueing devices. These facilities usually have a state license in order to operate legally.