How is a Board and Care Home different from Assisted Living Facilities or a Nursing Home?

With the proliferation of housing-with-services in recent decades, many types of assisted living facilities have opened, providing a wide range of services. So long as a person does not need daily services of medical professionals, an assisted living facility may be available that helps with most every aspect of personal care such as dressing, grooming, eating, toileting and getting around. In the days when most seniors had to go to a nursing home if they needed such comprehensive custodial care, the Board and Care homes provided minimal assistance. The larger facilities were often called “retirement homes,” and required that the senior be capable of getting to the dining hall for meals, and be independent in most activities. The staff might monitor the resident’s medications to be sure they were taken on time in the right dosages. Housekeeping and laundry were commonly provided by the staff. The typical large Board and Care home offered little else in the way of personal assistance. The smaller 2-6 bed facilities often did a lot more for the residents, such as assistance with dressing, toileting and getting around. Many of these had special licenses qualifying them to perform those extra personal services. www.uselderguide.com for more information.

Nowadays, even though Board and Care is just one type of assisted living, it is a very important type. Because of their history, Board and Care facilities are subject to state licensing laws, so can be held to recognized standards of care, and if there are problems such as inadequate care, the facility can be reported to the government body that regulates it. In addition, government funding sometimes can cover the cost of living in a Board and Care (www.hendomhome.com), for people receiving public assistance payments (SSI)

It’s important to remember that “mom and pop” Board and Cares, and other types of assisted living facilities, are not always closely regulated. Because of this, standards of care are not uniform, and services vary greatly from one facility to the next. If you are looking for an assisted living arrangement, it’s important to ask about each facility’s certifications and licenses, then check their validity. A government-backed licensing program is likely to be more specific in standards of care than a commercial company who does certification. Even with licensing, though, government agencies may only infrequently monitor facilities, so it’s important to drop in unannounced to confirm that conditions are safe and sanitary, that promised services are being provided, and that no elder abuse or neglect is occurring.A Board and Care Home differs from a Nursing Home in that it has very limited, if any, onsite medical care. A Nursing Home is for people who require daily supervision and care provided by medical professionals such as registered nurses and certified nurse assistants, under the supervision of licensed physicians.