An assisted living center provides a different type of care than a nursing home. It focuses on giving each resident the exact type of help they need. Often, these are people who are still in relatively good health, but who simply do not feel it is safe or practical to live at home — perhaps after the death of a spouse.
The goal, then, is to provide the maximum level of independence for each individual. The staff is not there to do everything. They are there to offer supplementary assistance at a simple housing facility, allowing residents to still feel like they can live virtually on their own much of the time.
For example, someone may have no trouble with daily tasks like making meals, taking short walks, getting dressed and getting ready for bed. However, something like taking a shower may be too difficult and dangerous because of the possibility of a fall. The caregivers can assist with showering to keep the person safe, while allowing them to still live life on their own outside of that.
But what if they are too hands-off entirely? If the workers do not offer any assistance at all, it may turn into neglect. This can put a person in serious danger. Their needs are not met and they’re forced to live with a high level of risk, almost as if they had not moved into the facility at all.
If neglect then leads to injury, it is important for the elderly individuals and their family members to know what rights they have.
