Placing a family member in an assisted living facility in Florida is often a hard choice. But searching for a facility that will meet their needs while meeting their expectations can seems impossible. If you know what licenses to look for in a facility, sorting out the ones that do not qualify will be a lot easier.
Standard Licensing
A standard license is what the state of Florida requires all assisted living facilities have to operate. This license allows for an almost independent living situation for its community.
Under a standard license, residents can receive basic assistance with:
- Dressing
- Changing locations-transfer from bed to chair, chair to walker, etc.
- Meal services-help feeding
- Grooming and bathing
- Toileting
- Medication management
If a nurse at a standard licensed facility is a licensed nurse, they are authorized to help patients with:
- Administering and regulating oxygen
- Sleep apnea machines during sleep times
- Casts, splints, and braces
Limited Nursing Services (LNS)
An assisted living facility in Florida that has obtained an LNS license can do everything that the standard licensing facility can do. But its licensed nursing staff can also:
- Conduct exercises that work a passive range of motions
- Apply ice caps and collars to residents
- Use heat therapies
- Perform irrigations of the ears and the eyes
- Conduct urine testing
- Cut the toenails of patients who are diabetics (under the authorization of a healthcare professional)
- Assistance with catheter replacement
- Change the bandages on wounds that are not open and requiring packing
Extended Congregate Care (ECC)
Extended congregate care offers all of the options of a standard and LNS facility. However, the ECC license also allows for assisted care facilities to:
- Offer complete and total help with dressing, bathing, toileting, and grooming
- Measure the vital signs and record weights in chart
- Management of diet-this includes restrictions and monitoring food and fluid intakes
- Allows for supervision of residents who need memory care
- Facilitate rehabilitation needs
- Provide transportation to and from medical appointments
- Offer residents with educational programs for health promotion and the prevention of illness
Limited Mental Health (LMH) License
This type of license must be acquired by an assisted care facility that has one or more residents that require mental health services. For instance, aside from the standard services required to care for these residents, the facility must also be capable of facilitating their mental health needs. A facility with this license will coordinate efforts with the case manager. This will allow for the resident to help facilitate their care and environment needs.
A Facility to Meet Needs and Expectations
There is no price that can be placed on quality care for a loved one entering an assisted living facility. However, finding a facility that meets their required needs may not be that difficult, but you should not have to sacrifice your expectations either.
A luxury assisted living center in Florida can meet the needs of your loved one without sacrificing a quality experience. Above all, having expectations of greatness should be the top priority when trying to find and secure an assisted living facility. Make sure that you only accept the best.
