What are the Differences Between Iowa Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Centers?

When a parent gets too old or too sick to take care of themselves and needs assistance, you may not be able to care for them and need to turn to a long term care facility for help with your loved one. If you are looking for a facility to place your parent or loved one in, you need to understand the difference between Iowa nursing homes and assisted living centers.

There are approximately 440 nursing homes in Iowa and over 300 assisted living centers in the state that take care of the elderly. The main difference is that residents who live in the assisted living centers are "chronically ill but stable," according to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. This means that these seniors can generally take care of themselves but need some assistance; whereas, the elderly residents who live in the nursing homes typically have more serious medical problems and require 24/7 attention and nursing services.

Another difference between the two is that assisted living centers are inspected every two years by state inspectors, but they are not subject to federal oversight. Iowa nursing homes are inspected every year and must meet federal guidelines, as they are considered medical facilities.

Your loved one's needs should generally guide you to which facility to place them in. Don't assume that all nursing homes are the same and that all assisted living centers are either. They are under different ownership, management, and guidelines and may have more or fewer nurses and workers on site. You need to inspect the facilities, review their ratings and comments online, ask residents and their families about their experiences, and take extra care when choosing a home for your relative.

Certain assisted living centers in Iowa have been known to drop their licenses so they do not have to provide adequate care. On the other hand, some nursing homes have been cited for nursing home abuse in Iowa including: neglect, understaffed and improperly trained workers, bed sores, malnutrition, medication errors, resident-on-resident assault and more.

If you believe your parent or elderly family member is a victim of Iowa nursing home abuse, call a concerned and experienced Cedar Rapids nursing home abuse attorney at the law offices of Brady & O'Shea for a free, no-obligation consultation at (319) 866-9277.