Exploring Assisted Living with Your Patient

As a healthcare provider, you may be the one of the first people to discuss the need for assisted living with an aging patient. In fact, families may look to you for your advice on the need for care at home or in a senior community, and may ask that you join the initial conversations with a parent about assisted living.

We are dedicated to partnering with you to provide quality care for your patient, which is just one of the reasons Enlivant is a preferred choice for assisted living.

The Enlivant Approach to Assisted Living

Enlivant offers compassionate care with support for activities of daily living (ADLs) in an intimate community setting.  We provide attentive, individualized care that enables residents to thrive in body, mind, and spirit. For every new resident, we complete a thorough health assessment, which provides the starting point for an individual care plan.  In every assisted living community, care is delivered by a full-time registered nurse and a team of Resident Care Partners. Our communities are staffed around the clock, and the registered nurse in each assisted living community is available 24 hours a day to provide clinical oversight and coordination of care.

Our care includes:

  • Assistance with activities of daily living, including dressing, bathing, and dining 
  • Meals and snacks every day, with a dietician supervised-menu
  • Nursing oversight
  • Care for chronic conditions like diabetes
  • Medication management
  • Housekeeping and laundry
  • Apartment maintenance and repairs


Many Enlivant communities also coordinate with physicians and other health professionals to provide onsite services. We assist residents with mild cognitive impairments and memory loss in their day-to-day activities and offer programming to meet their individual needs and interests. In some Enlivant communities, we do provide secured special care dementia units. 

Short-Term Stays

In many communities, we offer short-term assisted living care, which is also called respite care. There are several situations when you may want to recommend a respite stay for someone in your care:

  • When a senior is recovering from a hospital or nursing home stay and needs some extra help easing back into life at home.
  • When a senior needs continued short-term rehabilitation for a hip or knee replacement following discharge from the hospital or skilled nursing facility.
  • When an emergency has made a home uninhabitable.
  • When a senior is considering moving to an Enlivant community and wants to fully experience it before making a decision.
  • When a caregiver needs to take a break.

Stimulating Activities

Our communities are designed to create warm, vibrant settings where residents make meaningful connections and participate in invigorating activities. We plan activities to meet the wants and needs of the residents. So, while no two communities offer the same programming, all offer activities that stimulate mind and body. In addition, most communities offer scheduled transportation to nearby activities like shopping, dining, and cultural events.

How You Can Help Start the Process

To ensure you are making the best recommendation, we recommend you visit local assisted living communities. Meeting the staff, residents, and even family members is one of the best ways to learn about the community. You can contact any one of our communities for a tour and to arrange a meeting with our Care Services Manager.

If your patient is concerned about the cost of assisted living, you can direct them to our overview and comparative analysis of assisted living costs.

Your Role Once a Senior Moves into Assisted Living

Assure your patients that they will still be able to visit you for health appointments, and that most assisted living communities provide transportation to and from nearby medical appointments to allow for continuity of care. Also, reputable assisted living communities staff a registered nurse who oversees care and coordinates with other care providers. At Enlivant, our registered nurses work to notify physicians and other healthcare professionals of any medical issues that arise with patients while they live at our communities. Our staff is not meant to replace you, but rather to augment the service you already provide.

Resources for Healthcare Providers

Where You Live Matters

American Seniors Housing Association provides unbiased, research-based, thought-provoking resources to help navigate senior housing and lifestyle choices. 

 

U.S. Administration on Aging
This site contains a wide array of information on services for the elderly, including topics for caregivers.

Administration on Aging

FDA for Seniors
The FDA has numerous articles, brochures, and other publications with information for seniors on a wide range of health issues, including arthritis, cancer, health fraud, and nutrition.

FDa

H.E.L.P. (Healthcare and Elder Law Programs Corporation)

The mission of H.E.L.P. is to educate seniors, their families, and caregivers about law, finances, and consumer protection so they may lead secure lives.
If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to speak with the care providers in each of our communities.

We can help. Call 1.888.252.5001.