What Does an Assessment for Assisted Living Entail?

An assessment for assisted living entails a comprehensive mental and physical evaluation by a healthcare provider. This provides information that helps staff members create a care plan for a new resident or update a current resident’s care plan. The assessment includes medical exams, tests of functional abilities, cognitive evaluations and discussion of needs, interests and preferences.

Many assisted living centers use a standardized form to assess residents. This tool typically collects information about the individual’s living and family situation, medical and nursing care needs, personal care needs, behavior, mental health condition, chronic health conditions and health care providers.

The assessment also ensures the resident doesn’t have disqualifying characteristics. For example, a sample assessment from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services indicates that assisted living centers can’t take residents who require more than one person to help with activities of daily living, need physical or chemical restraints or can’t get out of bed.

A person can qualify for assisted living if they have a health condition that prevents them from doing some things independently. Assisted living provides help with activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing and grooming. Those requiring skilled nursing care don’t qualify.

Each assisted living community has additional admission requirements beyond the level of care a potential resident needs. For example, the center may require a new resident to undergo a credit check and a criminal background check.