Assisted living is a broad term that describes a wide range of facilities and services. They can be small group home type of settings, or larger homes with several hundred residents. In general, the services provided often include meals, housekeeping, transportation, shopping, laundry, help with medications and activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing. Some homes do have units for persons with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. In general, assisted living facilities can not provide extensive medical care, and families of persons with dementia will want to consider that they may need to move their loved one to a facility with a higher level of care as the disease progresses.
There are differences in the regulation of assisted living facilities in each state. These are the government agencies that are responsible for inspecting and licensing assisted living facilities in the National Capital Area.
The State of Maryland does license all assisted living facilities of any size (as small as one bed). The web site below does have listings of all of the facilities that have applied for a license. Licensure is based on level of care - low, moderate or high.
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Office of Health Care Quality
Spring Grove Center
55 Wade Avenue
Bland/Bryant Building
Catonsville, MD 21228
Residential and Community Programs Unit
410-402-8217
877-402-8221
www.dhmh.state.md.us/ohcq
Maryland Health Care Commission
877-245-1762
www.mhcc.state.md.us
The Commonwealth of Virginia does not regulate homes of three individuals or less.
Virginia Department of Social Services, Licensing Division
730 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Licensing Information Line
800-543-7545
www.dss.state.va.us/facility/adults.htm
Fairfax Area Licensing Office
11320 Random Hills Drive, Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-934-1505
Serves Counties of: Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun
Cities of: Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church
Northern Region
170 West Shirley Avenue, Suite 200
Warrenton, VA 20186
540-347-6345
Serves Counties of: Fauquier, King George, Prince William, Rappahannock, Stafford
Cites of: Manassas, Manassas Park
Verona Area
68 Dick Huff Lane
Verona, VA 24482
540-332-2330
Serves Counties of: Clark, Frederick and Warren
City of: Winchester
The District of Columbia does not yet have a separate license for assisted living, however the Department of Health does license community residence facilities. A list of these facilities is on the web site listed below. This is the definition of a Community Residence Facility provided there:
A community residence facility provides a level of health care in a safe, hygienic protective/sheltered living arrangement for one or more individuals who are not related by blood or marriage to the Residence Director. These individuals are ambulatory with or without the assistance of mechanical devices(s), able to get in and out of bed, and able to move about. They are oriented to place, time and day, capable of making proper judgments in emergency situations, and able to perform the activities of daily living (eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, and walking) independently or with minimal assistance. This level of care is for individuals who desire or require supervision or assistance within a protected environment because of physical, mental, familial or social circumstances.
Department of Health
Health Regulation Administration
Child and Residential Care Facilities Division
825 North Capital Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-442-5888
www.dchealth.dc.gov/services/administration_offices/hra/crcfd/index.shtm
Licensure for Assisted Living Facilities