Navigating senior living and long-term care options can be tricky, especially when exploring assisted living. Assisted living, a type of residential senior living, enables older adults to maintain their independence while enjoying an engaging community environment. This option also provides access to assistance and support for individuals who require assistance with personal care or daily activities.

In states like Texas, the care services made available to residents are regulated under a specific assisted living license, either a “Type A” or “Type B” option. This license is one of the many ways states regulate assisted living. The size of an assisted living community, the number of residents it serves, and the level of supportive care provided help to determine which type of license is granted to a community.

With this structure, selecting the option that’s best for yourself or a senior loved one can seem confusing. To help you understand the differences, we’ve provided a closer look at assisted living and the defining features of Type A and Type B communities.

Assisted Living: A Closer Look

Many people consider assisted living an umbrella term that encompasses all types of residential senior living. However, it’s best to think of senior living as a continuum of various levels of care and support. With this perspective, the continuum would include options for active, independent older adults at one end and more supportive, specialized care at the other. The line below illustrates this continuum with four of the most popular residential senior living options. Assisted living, offering a balance of independent living and support, would fall somewhere in the middle.

Independent Living … Assisted Living … Memory Care … Skilled Nursing Care

Similar to an independent living option, assisted living offers older adults a maintenance-free lifestyle in a community setting that promotes choice and independence. Both independent and assisted living offer a range of services and amenities, as well as safety and security features, and an accessible home environment. They also provide the essential component of social connection and life-enhancing face-to-face interactions with friends, neighbors, and other community members.

Assisted living communities also provide supportive care to assist individuals with their daily routines, medication management, and changing needs. Older adults exploring assisted living options may or may not require assistance with their daily routine upon moving in, but they may choose to take advantage of these services as they age.

Assisted Living: Who's Moving In?

Every assisted living community is unique and welcomes a diverse range of older adults, including those of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds. There is no right or wrong age to move into a senior living community. However, the average assisted living resident is typically an older adult who requires assistance with a few activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing, showering, or managing medications.

Some older adults move into an assisted living community and prefer to continue working part-time, driving, volunteering, and maintaining an active lifestyle. Others are seeking relief from the routine of burdensome home maintenance, daily chores, and feelings of isolation that come with living alone in their homes. Many older adults value the presence of on-site caregiving staff, which offers peace of mind and reassurance, especially for those experiencing mobility issues, diminished hearing and vision, or early memory loss.

The benefits of assisted living also extend to family caregivers, who can rely on community staff to assist with and manage many of the tasks they were once responsible for. From grocery shopping to medication refills and reminders, to laundry and daily safety checks, the support available to residents in an assisted living setting can help caregivers free up valuable time and energy.

Assisted Living Residents & Type A vs. Type B Communities

Assisted living facilities, or communities, in states like Texas, are licensed to provide supportive care to their residents. This licensure defines communities as Type A or Type B assisted living options. Some communities may be licensed for both Type A and Type B assisted living, while others may be licensed for only one of these types. In communities licensed for both Type A and Type B options, a select number of apartments or residences may be available within the scope of each license.

What does this mean to prospective residents and their families? Let’s review how this model works and examine the differences between the two options.

Type A

A Type A assisted living license enables a community to provide care and support for residents who can move around with some level of independence. A resident may require the use of an assistive device (such as a walker, wheelchair, or motor scooter) but must still be able to move around independently. Additionally, to be considered a Type A resident, the individual must be able to respond appropriately in an emergency.

• Type A residents can walk independently or use an assistive device (such as a walker, wheelchair, or motor scooter) without requiring support from a staff member.
• Type A residents do not require supportive care or assistance during the overnight hours.
• Type A residents can evacuate from the community in an emergency without requiring assistance for transferring and leaving the building. To comply with state regulations for Type A assisted living, residents would be expected to demonstrate they can fully evacuate a community in 13 minutes or less without continuous staff assistance.
  • For example, a resident should be able to get out of bed, transfer to a wheelchair, and navigate to the building exit safely without requiring assistance from community staff to complete the process successfully.
• Type A residents can receive and follow directions independently in the event of an emergency or evacuation. Residents should be familiar with and understand the evacuation plan, navigate the building with confidence, and follow staff instructions to ensure their safety.

Is a Type A option right for me or my senior loved one?

If you or your loved one can answer “yes” to each of these four questions, a Type A option may be the right fit.

1. Are you relatively independent and able to manage your daily routine with minimal support?
2. Could you use assistance with tasks such as personal care, showering, dressing, or managing their medication? (A Type A option will provide access to these services. However, residents who do not need assistance with these tasks can also opt for a Type A option.)
3. Are you aware of your daily routine and able to self-direct your day without assistance from a staff member?
4. Can you manage the transitions of your day without concern?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, continue reading about Type B assisted living options.

Type B

A Type B assisted living license enables the community to provide care and support to residents who may require additional assistance from staff. This may include assistance with mobility, using the restroom, transferring, overnight care, and safely navigating the community.

• Type B residents may require assistance from a staff member to transfer in and out of a wheelchair.
• Type B residents may require supportive care or assistance during the overnight hours.
• Type B residents would need assistance from a staff member to evacuate from the community safely in an emergency. For example, a resident would require assistance from a staff member to transfer out of bed and into their wheelchair and would also need an escort to leave the building safely.

• Type B residents would need assistance with following directions in the event of an emergency or evacuation. Residents may not be aware of or understand an evacuation plan and would not be able to safely exit the building without direct support from a staff member.
• Type B residents often have varying levels of independence and may experience cognitive decline. In Texas, a Type B assisted living residence can also provide supportive memory care for older adults with memory loss or dementia.

Is a Type B option right for me or my senior loved one?

If you or your loved one can answer “yes” to the questions below, a Type B option may be the right fit.

1. Does your loved one rely on regular assistance from a caregiver or home health aide to manage daily transitions successfully? Do they require support throughout the day or evening, and overnight?
2. Does your loved one require a higher level of care and assistance compared to the basic support offered in a Type A community, which is focused on activities of daily living (ADLs)?
3. Would your loved one require reminders and cues for their daily routine, assistance with using the restroom, escorts to and from meals and activities, or redirection during moments of transition?
4. Does your loved one tend to wander or require specialized support due to increasing healthcare needs?
5. Is your loved one showing signs of cognitive decline or do they have a diagnosis of dementia? Would your loved one benefit from the supportive environment of a memory care community?

Type A or Type B Assisted Living: Which Option Is Best?

Our Stoney Brook senior living team can empathize with seniors and their family members as they differentiate the nuances of these assisted living options. Some families spend hours researching and weighing their options, feeling quite stressed throughout the process. Our recommendation? Consult a senior care counselor.

This simple step can save you valuable time and energy, providing the trusted expertise and direction you need before deciding to move to any senior living community. Our Stoney Brook team can help guide your search for assisted living or memory care in the Central Texas area and advise you in selecting the Type A or Type B option that is best for you or your loved one.

Let us be your resource! Contact us today for more information about our Stoney Brook communities and experience the difference that a relationship-centered home environment can make in your life or the life of a senior loved one. Schedule a tour or follow our blog for more articles on understanding the world of senior living.