Post Office Box 9005
Austin, TX 78766-9005
Telephone: (512) 338-1223
Email: sidrich@austin.rr.com

Assisted Living

Assisted Living is established in the statutes under Section 247 of the Health and Safety Code, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes. In the statute, assisted living is defined as "an establishment, including a board and care home, that furnishes, in one or more facilities, food and shelter to four or more persons who are unrelated to the proprietor of the establishment, and provides personal care services."

Assisted living services include assistance with meals, dressing, movement, bathing or other personal needs or maintenance. It also includes "general supervision or oversight of the physical and mental well-being of a person who needs assistance to maintain a private and independent residence in an assisted living facility or who needs assistance to manage the person's personal life." These facilities are licensed and regulated by the Department of Aging and Disability Services(DADS).

Often times, the principal need of the assisted living resident is to be reminded to take their medication. This is called ASSISTANCE with medication. On the other hand, many personal care residents are very independent. They take care of all their needs on their own, including their medication. With respect to medication, this is called SELF-ADMINISTRATION. There are also cases where residents cannot take their own medication and need more than just assistance. This is called MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, which is the direct application of medication or a drug to the body. In this care, licensed personnel would be required, but this is the only instance where licensed people are utilized and administration is not a requirement unless the facility chooses to care for residents who need this service.

Understand, assisted living IS NOT a medical program. Statutes and regulations do not require any personnel to be licensed, although some facilities choose to employ such personnel. Individuals in personal care usually have a high state of wellness, mobility, and independence. Assisted living is really apartment living with a little bit of assistance with daily living.