Have you wondered why, how, and when assisted living came to be? As owner and operator of Lexington Place Assisted Living, I’ve found that some residents, potential residents, and their family members want to understand the level of care assisted living provides, and how it can help them in their lives. As part of my education, I learned the history of assisted living and its place in healthcare, and our society. This is what I’ve discovered about assisted living:
Assisted living evolved in the 1970s as advances in medicine all
owed seniors to age in place. • It is a level of care between independent living and nursing home care. • Dr. Keren Brown Wilson dedicated herself to find a way to provide frail & low-income seniors the care they need.
Dr. Brown Wilson was motivated by her 60-year-old mother (a nursing home resident).
Dr. Brown Wilson saw that there were institutional aspects in nursing homes that took away an individual’s basic right to privacy: shared bathrooms, communal showers and doors that didn’t lock. She then responded by combining what she calls the Three H’s: health, housing and hospitality. From there, assisted living was created:
1981: The nation’s first assisted living facility, Park Place, opened in Portland, Oregon
1986: Assisted living grew to include 24-hour staffing, medication administration, health-related services, dementia care & social activities
1995-2000: the number of assisted living facilities grew exponentially
Today, with over 40,000 assisted living facilities in operation, many assisted living facilities provide not only assistance with basic activities of daily living, but also medical care for residents who do not need skilled nursing care or to be hospitalized. In addition, increasingly assisted living facilities are offering physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy to residents to help residents maintain their highest level of function.
We are moving into a time where long-term care is going to be necessary for an aging baby boomer generation. As their health and independence is challenged, it will be up to family and friends to find the best resources for care. If you have any questions about how assisted living can be of service, please contact me at 330-337-1730 or email me at ejfabian@gracewoodshc.com