What’s the Difference Between An Assisted Living Facility and a Retirement Home?

What’s the Difference Between An Assisted Living Facility and a Retirement Home?
While the two terms are often used interchangeably, there’s a big difference between assisted living facilities and retirement homes. Here at Palm Cottages, we can understand the confusion. They both seem to mean similar things — after all, don’t the elderly live in both? While we get that the two seem to be synonyms, we want to clear up the confusion once and for all, and lay out the differences between the two.

Retirement Home

A retirement home often refers to a set of rooms or suites that are part of a larger building that houses multiple residents. Oftentimes, these premises require all occupants to be past a certain age, which usually starts around 55. Retirement homes may offer a number of facilities on the grounds, including pools, spas, kitchens, and recreational areas, such as tennis or squash courts.

People living in retirement homes are usually independent and don’t need anyone looking after them. For this reason, it isn’t uncommon for there to be no healthcare services available on the grounds, nor medical help working under the home’s employment. Retirement homes are appealing to seniors who want to live in close proximity to people their own age for social reasons.

Assisted Living Facilities

Conversely, assisted living facilities are usually made up of residents who, as the name would suggest, need assistance in their daily lives. Most assisted living facilities have a medical staff working around the clock to provide help to residents, who might require help completing daily activities such as feeding themselves, bathing, or performing recreational activities.

While assisted living facilities might offer many of the same amenities that retirement homes possess, the main difference is that residents usually need help to perform said tasks. Additional services might include laundry, a dining room or cafeteria, and transportation to and from events.

If you or someone you know is in search of an assisted living facility, we encourage you to give us a call at Palm Cottages. We’d love to explain what our facility offers and how we’re equipped to service our residents.

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