Assisted Living in Rhode Island

Paying for Assisted Living in Rhode Island

Most seniors pay for assisted living in Rhode Island using private funds or long-term care insurance. Medicare and most private health insurance plans do not cover the costs of assisted living. However, some public assistance is available to seniors with low incomes through the SSI Enhanced Living Program.

The program is run by both state and federal agencies for Rhode Island residents age 65 or older who are in need of assisted living services. The SSI Enhanced benefit offers increased SSI payments than can be used to cover the cost of room and board at an assisted living facility.

Overview of Rhode Island Assisted Living

The first of the original 13 colonies to declare its independence from British rule on May 4, 1776, The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (better known simply as Rhode Island) is the smallest state in the nation by area measuring only 1,045 square miles.

With more than one million people calling the state home, residents of Rhode Island assisted living enjoy all the amenities and services of a major urban area. Yet the Ocean State boasts many scenic beaches along the coastline of Narragansett Bay, which reaches from the Atlantic Ocean into the Port of Providence, offering residents a taste of laidback coastal living.

Assisted Living in Rhode Island Defined

Rhode Island defines an assisted living residence as any facility that provides lodging, meals and personal assistance to two or more adults. Personal assistance includes one or more of the following services:

• Helping residents with activities of daily living such as bathing, eating, dressing, toileting and mobility
• Medication management or administration of medication by licensed healthcare staff
• Arrangement of health and supportive services
• Monitoring residents’ health and safety

Assisted living residences can go by any name, such as sheltered care home or board and care residence, as long as they meet the established definition for assisted living.

Regulation of Rhode Island Assisted Living Facilities

Communities providing assisted living in Rhode Island must be licensed by the state Department of Health and have at least one staff member on site and awake 24 hours a day. All assisted living employees must pass a criminal background check and workers who have regular contact with residents must also complete at least 10 hours of training in the following areas:

• Medical emergency procedures
• Aging-related behavior
• Personal assistance
• Assistance with medications
• Resident safety

At assisted living homes that provide dementia care, employees must complete at least 12 hours of training on communicating effectively with dementia residents, understanding the types of dementia and managing behavior.