Oregon Assisted Living
Although winters can be cold and snowy in Oregon, summer is delightful, with temperatures rarely going above 90 degrees. The state also offers a unique combination of forest, mountains, desert, and coastline, which is ideal for those who enjoy the outdoors.
Despite its higher-than-average cost of living, Oregon has no sales tax and excludes Social Security income and a portion of pension payments from state income tax. This guide explores various senior living options for people in Oregon and explains in detail what assisted living is its licensing and safety regulations, and the average costs for care.
The typical resident population in Oregon's assisted living communities is 69% female. Overall, 78% of residents are ages 75 and older, with 33% of residents ages 75 to 84 and 45% ages 85 and older.
The Office of Licensing and Regulatory Oversight within the Oregon Department of Human Services licenses two types of care: assisted living facilities (ALFs) and residential care facilities (RCFs). Both licensing requirements are the same; the key difference is that ALFs must provide residents with private apartments, baths, and kitchenettes, while RCFs can provide shared rooms, baths, or private apartments.
Assisted living facilities consist of self-contained, individual living units where six or more seniors and adults with disabilities reside in a home-like setting. The facility offers or provides a number of supportive services to meet the health and social needs of the residents. The assistance includes support for activities of daily living (ADLs). RCFs provide the same services for their residents, except the living units are not required to be units for individuals.
Memory care communities that are licensed as ALFs, RCFs, or nursing homes have different licensing requirements. The rules on memory care endorsements emphasize that residents must be protected and receive person-directed care, and the staff must receive specific dementia care training. If the memory care unit is within an ALF or RCF, the special care unit must be in a locked and secured area to prevent or limit access to the residents.
Adult foster homes are licensed to provide care and services for five or fewer residents.
All resident agreements must include:
A written disclosure of costs, services, and operations must be provided to all prospective residents. All communities that provide memory care services must have a written policy of their pre-admission screening, admission, and discharge procedures and their policies on moves to different units within the facility. This policy must be provided to the resident or legal guardian of prospective residents prior to admission.
The state encourages facilities to retain residents except where the needs of the resident exceed the ability of the facility to support them. Some reasons for involuntary discharge are:
The services provided to residents are geared toward maintaining and maximizing the ability of residents psychological, social, and physical functioning. Facilities must provide minimum required services, including laundry, assistance with ADLs including one-person transfers, medication administration, household services, and social and recreational activities. Facilities must provide or arrange for transportation to social and medical appointments.
All facilities must provide health services and have systems in place to respond to residents' needs 24 hours per day. The emergency medical response must include access to a licensed nurse that is regularly on-site and is available for phone consultations. Nursing services must include:
Before admission, all residents must be evaluated to assess their physical health, mental health, cognitive abilities, communication, sensory limitations, ADL requirements, instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) requirements, nursing needs, risk factors, and nutrition habits. This assessment must be completed again within the first 30 days of residence, quarterly after that, and when there is a change in the resident's condition.
The service plan created based on the aforementioned assessment must reflect the needs of the resident, describe who will provide the services required, and outline how often the services will be provided.
Suppose a resident requires nursing services that are unavailable through hospice or home health or the task cannot be performed by facility staff. In that case, the facility must arrange to provide the services to the resident temporarily or permanently.
Facilities must provide three meals a day and snacks according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid and must be appropriate to the needs and choices of the residents. Modified diets must be provided, including no and low sodium, reduced or no sugar, and small frequent meals.
All facilities must employ a full-time administrator that is in charge of the daily operations of the facility. Caregivers are employed to assist with ADLs, medication administration, resident-focused activities, supervision, and support. Universal workers are caregivers with other duties like laundry, housekeeping, or food service. A licensed nurse must be available on staff or as a consultant.
There are no minimum staff ratios, but the facility must have sufficient, qualified, and awake staff to meet the needs of residents 24 hours per day. Direct care staff must be calculated based on resident acuity, staff training needs, facility census, and facility design.
All staff must receive orientation on the resident's rights, the values of community-based care, abuse, reporting of abuse, infection control, and fire and safety procedures.
Employees must demonstrate knowledge and proficiency in the following areas: providing assistance with ADLs, identifying changes associated with aging, identifying physical, emotional, and mental function, understanding residents’ behavior, food safety and sanitation, and understanding and providing support for residents with dementia.
All staff must be trained in first-aid and abdominal thrust. CPR training is recommended.
As previously stated, ALFs must have an individual apartment with a lockable door, private bathroom, and kitchenette and conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bathrooms must have a toilet, sink, and roll-in, curbless shower. The kitchenette must be equipped with a sink, refrigerator, cooking appliance, food preparation area, and storage space.
RCF units may be private or shared by no more than two residents. If the unit has a bathroom, it must include a toilet, hand-washing sink, mirror, and towel bar. If private bathrooms are not provided, there must be one centralized bathroom per 10 residents.
There are several requirements that each assisted living community must provide for its residents. The facility must offer both general observations and health supervision to assist in identifying each resident's health condition and ability to function. The facility must assist residents with all ADLs and medication services and assess the need for medication attention or nursing services.
In Oregon, ALFs must provide care and services in the resident’s care plan. This can include coordinating medical care and appointments. Communities may also deliver health services, with 63% of communities providing skilled nursing. Many have health care specialists and on-site services, with 49% of communities offering dental care. In addition, 64% of ALFs have hospice services.
Mental health issues are a growing consideration for communities, and services to address these concerns are becoming more common. In Oregon, 81% of communities conduct depression screenings, and 46% offer mental health counseling. Social work programs are also found in 45% of ALFs. Social workers can provide counseling, conduct assessments, and help ensure residents can access all necessary resources.
Some assisted living residents live with various medical conditions. In Oregon, 56% have Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. In addition, 48% have high blood pressure, 27% have heart disease, 34% have depression, and 18% have diabetes.
Oregon Health Authority – Addiction and Mental Health Services hosts informational events throughout the year and manages the 211 service that is available 24/7 to connect older adults to mental health professionals and resources in their local areas. Additionally, the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Oregon provides support and resources to people with mental health disorders.
Facilities are permitted to administer medications to residents. The medication and treatment systems that the facility puts in place have to be approved by a consulting pharmacist, RN, or physician.
Residents are permitted to keep over-the-counter and prescription medications in their unit as long as they can self-administrate them. Residents permitted to self-administer must have written approval and be evaluated by the facility as capable of safely administering their medications.
Staff personnel who administer medications must visually observe that the resident takes the medication unless the prescription states otherwise. Any psychoactive medications can only be used to treat a resident's medical symptoms or improve function and may not be used as a convenience to the facility.
A primary assisted living service that benefits residents is receiving help with activities of daily living (ADLs). These are fundamental tasks that a person must do regularly to sustain life and general health, including toileting, bathing or showering, dressing, transferring (getting in and out of bed or a chair), ambulating (walking), and eating. Signs that a person may benefit from living in assisted living include increased isolation, loss of mobility, noticeable weight loss or gain, and/or neglect of household chores.
Residents in Oregon’s assisted living facilities often receive help with their ADLs. In Oregon, 27% of residents need help eating. Other commonly used services include bed transfer (43%), toileting (59%), and walking (59%). Caregivers in ALFs help 62% of residents dress, and 79% need help bathing.
The average cost of assisted living care in Oregon is $5,045. This is $545 higher than the monthly national average of $4,500. The cost of living in Oregon is more than the national average by 30.1%, with health care costs more than the national average by 15.7% and housing costs more than the national average by 72.6%.
The level of care a person requires impacts the cost of care, as does where you live. The cost of assisted living ranges from a low of $4,485 in the Corvallis area to a high of $5,623 per month in the Eugene area of Oregon.
If you live close to one of Oregon’s borders, you may find assisted living in a neighboring state is an affordable option. If you live near the Idaho or Nevada border, you may be able to find less expensive assisted living. Idaho has an average monthly cost of $3,838, and Nevada has an average cost of $3,750, both well below the average cost in Oregon. California and Washington have higher average monthly costs of $5,250 and $6,000 per month, respectively.
How to Pay for Assisted Living
The Seniors and Disabled Services Division of the Oregon Department of Human Services oversees assisted living communities in the state. The agency can provide more information about assisted living in Oregon. Older adults and their family members can also reach out to their local Area Agency on Aging office for assistance with the transition to assisted living. Additionally, the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program handles all complaints or claims of abuse against assisted living communities.
The Oregon Department of Human Services Seniors and Disabled Services Division, the Office of Licensing and Regulatory Oversight, is responsible for issuing licenses for assisted living facilities in Oregon. The agency provides a list of rules and regulations each facility must follow. For instance, these guidelines dictate staffing ratios and training requirements for all staff members. It also includes safety rules, such as the requirement to develop fire and emergency plans for each community.
Assisted living communities in Oregon must also abide by the Home and Community-Based Services guidelines, which focus on the development of person-centered service plans. Combining these regulations helps ensure the safety and well-being of all assisted living residents in Oregon.
Oregon’s Department of Human Services maintains a Legal Assistance Development Program for adults aged 60 and over. In addition to fraud and abuse, the agency can assist people with age discrimination issues, utilities shut-off notices, and denial of benefits. Oregon residents can reach out to their local Area Agency on Aging for additional information.
Despite its higher-than-average cost of living, Oregon has no sales tax and excludes Social Security income and a portion of pension payments from state income tax. This guide explores various senior living options for people in Oregon and explains in detail what assisted living is its licensing and safety regulations, and the average costs for care.
The typical resident population in Oregon's assisted living communities is 69% female. Overall, 78% of residents are ages 75 and older, with 33% of residents ages 75 to 84 and 45% ages 85 and older.
Assisted Living Facility (ALF) Definitions
The Office of Licensing and Regulatory Oversight within the Oregon Department of Human Services licenses two types of care: assisted living facilities (ALFs) and residential care facilities (RCFs). Both licensing requirements are the same; the key difference is that ALFs must provide residents with private apartments, baths, and kitchenettes, while RCFs can provide shared rooms, baths, or private apartments.
Assisted living facilities consist of self-contained, individual living units where six or more seniors and adults with disabilities reside in a home-like setting. The facility offers or provides a number of supportive services to meet the health and social needs of the residents. The assistance includes support for activities of daily living (ADLs). RCFs provide the same services for their residents, except the living units are not required to be units for individuals.
Memory care communities that are licensed as ALFs, RCFs, or nursing homes have different licensing requirements. The rules on memory care endorsements emphasize that residents must be protected and receive person-directed care, and the staff must receive specific dementia care training. If the memory care unit is within an ALF or RCF, the special care unit must be in a locked and secured area to prevent or limit access to the residents.
Adult foster homes are licensed to provide care and services for five or fewer residents.
Resident Agreements and Disclosures
All resident agreements must include:
- The terms of occupancy and discharge policies and procedures.
- Payment, refund, and proration policies and policies for fee increases or other changes to the rate structure.
- The method for evaluating resident service needs and the associated costs.
- The staffing plan and medication policies.
- A description of all available services.
A written disclosure of costs, services, and operations must be provided to all prospective residents. All communities that provide memory care services must have a written policy of their pre-admission screening, admission, and discharge procedures and their policies on moves to different units within the facility. This policy must be provided to the resident or legal guardian of prospective residents prior to admission.
Assisted Living Admission and Retention
The state encourages facilities to retain residents except where the needs of the resident exceed the ability of the facility to support them. Some reasons for involuntary discharge are:
- The ADL needs of the resident exceed the services disclosed by the facility.
- The behavior or action of the resident poses a danger or infringes on other residents' rights, health, or safety.
- The resident has a complex medical or nursing condition that is unstable or unpredictable; the facility has disclosed that they cannot provide care for it.
- The facility cannot assist with resident evacuation according to safety and fire rules.
- The resident engages in illegal drug use or commits a criminal act.
Assisted Living Services and Service Planning
The services provided to residents are geared toward maintaining and maximizing the ability of residents psychological, social, and physical functioning. Facilities must provide minimum required services, including laundry, assistance with ADLs including one-person transfers, medication administration, household services, and social and recreational activities. Facilities must provide or arrange for transportation to social and medical appointments.
All facilities must provide health services and have systems in place to respond to residents' needs 24 hours per day. The emergency medical response must include access to a licensed nurse that is regularly on-site and is available for phone consultations. Nursing services must include:
- Resident health and well-being assessments.
- Participation in service planning.
- Provide health care counseling based on resident service plans.
- Delegate and teach the staff to perform tasks.
Before admission, all residents must be evaluated to assess their physical health, mental health, cognitive abilities, communication, sensory limitations, ADL requirements, instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) requirements, nursing needs, risk factors, and nutrition habits. This assessment must be completed again within the first 30 days of residence, quarterly after that, and when there is a change in the resident's condition.
The service plan created based on the aforementioned assessment must reflect the needs of the resident, describe who will provide the services required, and outline how often the services will be provided.
Suppose a resident requires nursing services that are unavailable through hospice or home health or the task cannot be performed by facility staff. In that case, the facility must arrange to provide the services to the resident temporarily or permanently.
Assisted Living Food and Dietary Provisions
Facilities must provide three meals a day and snacks according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid and must be appropriate to the needs and choices of the residents. Modified diets must be provided, including no and low sodium, reduced or no sugar, and small frequent meals.
Assisted Living Staffing Requirements
All facilities must employ a full-time administrator that is in charge of the daily operations of the facility. Caregivers are employed to assist with ADLs, medication administration, resident-focused activities, supervision, and support. Universal workers are caregivers with other duties like laundry, housekeeping, or food service. A licensed nurse must be available on staff or as a consultant.
There are no minimum staff ratios, but the facility must have sufficient, qualified, and awake staff to meet the needs of residents 24 hours per day. Direct care staff must be calculated based on resident acuity, staff training needs, facility census, and facility design.
Assisted Living Staff Training Requirements
All staff must receive orientation on the resident's rights, the values of community-based care, abuse, reporting of abuse, infection control, and fire and safety procedures.
Employees must demonstrate knowledge and proficiency in the following areas: providing assistance with ADLs, identifying changes associated with aging, identifying physical, emotional, and mental function, understanding residents’ behavior, food safety and sanitation, and understanding and providing support for residents with dementia.
All staff must be trained in first-aid and abdominal thrust. CPR training is recommended.
Assisted Living Housing Requirements
As previously stated, ALFs must have an individual apartment with a lockable door, private bathroom, and kitchenette and conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bathrooms must have a toilet, sink, and roll-in, curbless shower. The kitchenette must be equipped with a sink, refrigerator, cooking appliance, food preparation area, and storage space.
RCF units may be private or shared by no more than two residents. If the unit has a bathroom, it must include a toilet, hand-washing sink, mirror, and towel bar. If private bathrooms are not provided, there must be one centralized bathroom per 10 residents.
What Is Included With Assisted Living Care In Oregon?
There are several requirements that each assisted living community must provide for its residents. The facility must offer both general observations and health supervision to assist in identifying each resident's health condition and ability to function. The facility must assist residents with all ADLs and medication services and assess the need for medication attention or nursing services.
Health Care Services
In Oregon, ALFs must provide care and services in the resident’s care plan. This can include coordinating medical care and appointments. Communities may also deliver health services, with 63% of communities providing skilled nursing. Many have health care specialists and on-site services, with 49% of communities offering dental care. In addition, 64% of ALFs have hospice services.
Mental health issues are a growing consideration for communities, and services to address these concerns are becoming more common. In Oregon, 81% of communities conduct depression screenings, and 46% offer mental health counseling. Social work programs are also found in 45% of ALFs. Social workers can provide counseling, conduct assessments, and help ensure residents can access all necessary resources.
Some assisted living residents live with various medical conditions. In Oregon, 56% have Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. In addition, 48% have high blood pressure, 27% have heart disease, 34% have depression, and 18% have diabetes.
State Mental Health Resources
Oregon Health Authority – Addiction and Mental Health Services hosts informational events throughout the year and manages the 211 service that is available 24/7 to connect older adults to mental health professionals and resources in their local areas. Additionally, the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Oregon provides support and resources to people with mental health disorders.
Medication Provisions
Facilities are permitted to administer medications to residents. The medication and treatment systems that the facility puts in place have to be approved by a consulting pharmacist, RN, or physician.
Residents are permitted to keep over-the-counter and prescription medications in their unit as long as they can self-administrate them. Residents permitted to self-administer must have written approval and be evaluated by the facility as capable of safely administering their medications.
Staff personnel who administer medications must visually observe that the resident takes the medication unless the prescription states otherwise. Any psychoactive medications can only be used to treat a resident's medical symptoms or improve function and may not be used as a convenience to the facility.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) Assistance Services
A primary assisted living service that benefits residents is receiving help with activities of daily living (ADLs). These are fundamental tasks that a person must do regularly to sustain life and general health, including toileting, bathing or showering, dressing, transferring (getting in and out of bed or a chair), ambulating (walking), and eating. Signs that a person may benefit from living in assisted living include increased isolation, loss of mobility, noticeable weight loss or gain, and/or neglect of household chores.
Residents in Oregon’s assisted living facilities often receive help with their ADLs. In Oregon, 27% of residents need help eating. Other commonly used services include bed transfer (43%), toileting (59%), and walking (59%). Caregivers in ALFs help 62% of residents dress, and 79% need help bathing.
Cost Of Assisted Living Care In Oregon
The average cost of assisted living care in Oregon is $5,045. This is $545 higher than the monthly national average of $4,500. The cost of living in Oregon is more than the national average by 30.1%, with health care costs more than the national average by 15.7% and housing costs more than the national average by 72.6%.
The level of care a person requires impacts the cost of care, as does where you live. The cost of assisted living ranges from a low of $4,485 in the Corvallis area to a high of $5,623 per month in the Eugene area of Oregon.
How Costs Compare In Nearby States
If you live close to one of Oregon’s borders, you may find assisted living in a neighboring state is an affordable option. If you live near the Idaho or Nevada border, you may be able to find less expensive assisted living. Idaho has an average monthly cost of $3,838, and Nevada has an average cost of $3,750, both well below the average cost in Oregon. California and Washington have higher average monthly costs of $5,250 and $6,000 per month, respectively.
How to Pay for Assisted Living
Oregon Assisted Living Oversight
The Seniors and Disabled Services Division of the Oregon Department of Human Services oversees assisted living communities in the state. The agency can provide more information about assisted living in Oregon. Older adults and their family members can also reach out to their local Area Agency on Aging office for assistance with the transition to assisted living. Additionally, the state’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program handles all complaints or claims of abuse against assisted living communities.
Quality and Safety of Assisted Living Facilities in Oregon
The Oregon Department of Human Services Seniors and Disabled Services Division, the Office of Licensing and Regulatory Oversight, is responsible for issuing licenses for assisted living facilities in Oregon. The agency provides a list of rules and regulations each facility must follow. For instance, these guidelines dictate staffing ratios and training requirements for all staff members. It also includes safety rules, such as the requirement to develop fire and emergency plans for each community.
Assisted living communities in Oregon must also abide by the Home and Community-Based Services guidelines, which focus on the development of person-centered service plans. Combining these regulations helps ensure the safety and well-being of all assisted living residents in Oregon.
Legal Resources
Oregon’s Department of Human Services maintains a Legal Assistance Development Program for adults aged 60 and over. In addition to fraud and abuse, the agency can assist people with age discrimination issues, utilities shut-off notices, and denial of benefits. Oregon residents can reach out to their local Area Agency on Aging for additional information.
