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How Do You Get Out of Assisted Living?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
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.
Reasons for leaving assisted living
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.
Alternative care and support options
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.