ASSISTED LIVING STATISTICS
TYPICAL RESIDENT PROFILE
Age - The average age of residents in assisted living facilities in 2009 was 86.9 years.
Gender - Seventy-four percent assisted living residents are female; 26 percent are male.
Typical Resident - The typical assisted living resident is an 86-year-old woman who is mobile, but needs assistance with approximately two activities of daily living (ADLs).
Number of Residents - More than 900,000 people nationwide live in assisted living settings.
Activities of Daily - On average, assisted living residents need help with 1.6 ADLs. The chart below shows the various ADLs and the percentage of residents needing help with them.
Activities of Daily Living % of Residents Needing Help
Bathing 64%
Dressing
39%
Toileting
26%
Transferring 19%
Eating 12%
Other Common Services - Eighty-seven percent of assisted living residents need help with meal preparation, while 81 percent need help managing their medications.
Moving In - Residents come to assisted living facilities from a variety of settings, including:
- 70 percent moved from a private home or apartment
- 9 percent came from a nursing facility
- 9 percent moved from a retirement or independent living community
- 7 percent moved from a family residence (such as living with adult childrens)
- 5 percent came from another Assisted Living Facility or group home
Moving Out - The average length of stay in an Assisted Living Facility is about 28.3 months. Fiftynine percent of residents will move into a nursing facility. Thirty-three percent will pass away. The remaining will move home or to another location.
Resident Rights - The National Center for Assisted Living advocates that residents' rights should include the right to:
- Privacy
- Be treated at all times with dignity and respect
- Control personal finances
- Retain and have use of personal possessions
- Interact freely with others both within the Assisted Living Facility and in the community
- Freedom of religion
- Control receipt of health-related services
- Organize resident councils
Most of the information above comes from the "2009 Overview of Assisted Living," published by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, American Seniors Housing Association, Assisted Living Federation of American, National Center for Assisted Living, and National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry, or reflects NCAL's philosophy of assisted living.
