Author: Sarah Williams
Reviewed By: Catherine Braxton
Unless you’re the subject of a guardianship order, you can get out of assisted living at any time. You can leave for day trips and vacations with family, friends or alone. Although nobody can prevent you from going, it’s recommended that you have adequate support in place for your time outside the facility, such as a family or professional caregiver.
It would be best to inform the staff that you’re going out or away to prevent alarm; some communities may ask that you sign out of the facility or leave contact details. If you wish to leave an assisted living facility for good, you should provide notice per your resident service agreement. However, depending on your reasons for leaving, a facility may waive termination obligations.
You may leave an assisted living community because your condition has changed, and you require more support services than your current provider can accommodate. Alternatively, you may want to switch to another assisted living facility or go home. If you wish to leave your present assisted living community because you don’t like it, talk to staff members to see if issues can be resolved. If you have concerns about your rights, safety, well-being or health, contact your local Long-Term Care Ombudsman for advocacy and assistance.
If affordability is a concern, contact your local Area Agency on Aging for a benefits check; you may be entitled to financial assistance through Medicaid, Home- and Community-Based Waiver programs or the joint Medicaid-Medicare Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. Veterans can also contact the VA Center to ensure they receive all benefits and pensions they qualify for. Ultimately, though, you may still decide that you wish to leave your current setting.
Assisted living communities provide help with daily activities and social programming. If your care needs increase and you need more medical or therapeutic services, a nursing home might better suit your requirements. If you have worsening dementia, you may consider moving to a specialized memory care facility.You may wish to return home to age in a familiar environment. If so, home care and home health care agencies may be appropriate options for getting the support you need to live independently; the former provides help with day-to-day living, personal care and companionship, while the latter includes medical services, such as skilled nursing and rehabilitation therapies. If you move in with family, local adult day programs can provide support and recreation during the daytime while your family members are at work.
