When families search for types of senior living, “senior homes,” or “elder care facilities,” they may be comparing very different types of housing, support, and medical care.
Some options are designed for active older adults who want less home maintenance. Others provide help with bathing, dressing, medications, meals, or mobility. Some offer specialized dementia care. Skilled nursing facilities may provide short-term rehabilitation after a hospitalization or long-term nursing care.
The names can be confusing because there is no single national system for labeling every senior living option. In Oregon, the type of license, the services offered, the resident’s care needs, and the provider’s limitations all matter.
This guide explains the major types of senior living and care options Oregon families may encounter, what each option usually provides, and what to verify before making a decision. For a quick overview of the services Embrace helps families navigate, visit the Oregon senior care services overview.
The short answer: What are the main types of senior living and care?
The main types of senior living and care include:
- 55+ or active adult communities: Age-qualified housing for older adults who generally live independently.
- Independent or retirement living: Community living with fewer home-maintenance responsibilities, social opportunities, and optional conveniences.
- Continuing care retirement communities: Communities that may offer multiple levels of living and care on one campus.
- In-home care: Support delivered in a person’s home, including companionship, personal care, homemaker services, or certain skilled services.
- Adult foster homes: Licensed single-family residences that provide care in a smaller, home-like setting.
- Assisted living: Housing with help for daily activities such as bathing, dressing, meals, medications, and mobility.
- Residential care facilities: Oregon community-based care settings that provide individualized services in a residential environment.
- Memory care: Specialized support and supervision for people living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
- Skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes: Medical, rehabilitation, and long-term nursing care.
These options are not always arranged in a straight line. A person may receive in-home care for years, move to independent living, later need assisted living, or choose a continuing care community to plan for possible future needs.
First, separate housing from care
Many families compare senior living options more clearly when they separate three different questions:
- Where will the person live?
- How much help with daily activities is needed?
- Does the person need skilled medical care or rehabilitation?
A 55+ community and independent living are primarily housing and lifestyle choices. Assisted living, adult foster homes, residential care, and memory care add regular support. Skilled nursing focuses on medical care, rehabilitation, or high-acuity needs. Families who need help comparing settings can explore Embrace’s expert placement advisory service.
Oregon’s Department of Human Services describes long-term care services as support provided in the home, in the community, or in facility-based settings. Facility-based options include adult foster care, assisted living, residential care facilities, nursing facilities, and memory care communities. Read Oregon’s long-term care overview.
Types of senior living and care at a glance
| Option | Usually best for | Typical focus | What families should verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55+ or active adult community | Independent older adults | Housing, amenities, activities, and social connection | Age rules, emergency response, transportation, and whether outside care is allowed |
| Independent or retirement living | Older adults who want convenience and community | Maintenance-free living, meals, activities, transportation, and housekeeping | What is included, whether personal care is available, and what happens if needs increase |
| Continuing care retirement community | People planning for several stages of aging | Multiple housing and care levels, often on one campus | Entrance fees, monthly fees, contract type, future-care access, and rate increases |
| In-home care | People who want to remain at home | Companionship, personal care, homemaker services, or skilled care | Caregiver hours, backup coverage, supervision, and total monthly cost |
| Adult foster home | People who prefer a smaller, home-like environment | Around-the-clock residential support and personal care | License, staffing, overnight coverage, resident capacity, and care limitations |
| Assisted living | People who need daily help but not full-time skilled nursing | Personal care, meals, medications, mobility support, and activities | Care levels, staffing, medication policies, and additional fees |
| Residential care facility | People who need a residential care setting | Individualized services in a community-based environment | Facility license, staffing model, care limits, and dementia capabilities |
| Memory care | People living with dementia who need added structure or security | Supervision, routines, dementia-trained staff, and safety features | Dementia training, secured areas, behavior support, and progression policies |
| Skilled nursing facility or nursing home | People needing rehabilitation or extensive nursing care | Medical supervision, rehabilitation, and long-term nursing care | Short-term versus long-term program, Medicare coverage, staffing, and care plan |
These descriptions are general. Services vary from one provider to another, even when two communities use the same label.
1. 55+ and active adult communities
A 55+ or active adult community is primarily a housing option, not a care setting.
These communities may include apartments, condominiums, townhomes, or single-family homes. They often provide shared amenities, social activities, fitness programs, walking paths, clubs, or maintenance services.
They may be a good fit for an older adult who:
- Lives independently
- Wants less home maintenance
- Enjoys social activities and community events
- Wants to downsize
- Does not need regular hands-on assistance
A 55+ community does not automatically provide help with bathing, dressing, medication management, transfers, or dementia supervision. Some communities may allow residents to arrange outside in-home care, but policies differ.
Before choosing one, ask:
- What are the age-eligibility rules?
- Is there an emergency response system?
- Can a home-care agency provide services inside the residence?
- What happens if the resident begins needing daily hands-on help?
- How close are medical providers, family members, transportation, and shopping?
2. Independent living and retirement living
Independent living and retirement living often overlap.
Both generally describe community living for older adults who can manage daily activities without regular hands-on assistance but want convenience, connection, and fewer household responsibilities.
Communities may offer:
- Private apartments, cottages, or homes
- Dining or meal plans
- Housekeeping and maintenance
- Transportation
- Social activities and clubs
- Fitness or wellness programs
- Shared common areas
Explore Embrace Age Prepared’s pages about independent living and retirement living.
Independent living may be appropriate when the main problem is:
- Home upkeep
- Isolation
- Transportation
- Meal preparation
- Downsizing
- Desire for a more active social environment
It may not be enough when a person needs regular assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting, transfers, medication administration, or overnight supervision. At that point, families may need to compare assisted living or memory care.
Some communities offer several levels of care, while others are designed only for independent residents. Ask what happens if care needs increase and whether the resident must move elsewhere.
3. Continuing care retirement communities and life plan communities
A continuing care retirement community, often called a CCRC or life plan community, may combine independent living, assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing on one campus.
The idea is to give residents access to different levels of support as their needs change. The community may include apartments, cottages, assisted living residences, nursing care, dining, activities, and health services.
The federal Administration for Community Living describes CCRCs as communities that provide housing, health care, and social services across multiple levels of care. Fees often include an entrance fee and monthly charges, although contracts vary significantly. Learn more about continuing care retirement communities.
A CCRC may appeal to someone who:
- Wants to plan ahead
- Prefers to remain in one broader community
- Wants future-care options nearby
- Has the financial resources for entrance and monthly fees
- Values a campus with activities, dining, and social connection
Before signing a CCRC contract, review:
- The entrance fee
- Whether the fee is refundable
- Monthly fees and expected increases
- What levels of care are included
- How future care is priced
- Whether access depends on availability or health eligibility
- What happens if the resident runs out of financial resources
- What happens if a spouse or partner needs a different level of care
“Continuing care” does not mean every service is automatically included at the same price. The contract controls the details.
4. In-home care and aging in place
In-home care allows a person to remain in their own home while receiving assistance from a caregiver or agency.
Depending on the provider and care plan, in-home services may include:
- Companionship
- Bathing and dressing assistance
- Toileting and personal care
- Meal preparation
- Light housekeeping
- Medication reminders
- Mobility support
- Transportation
- Respite for family caregivers
- Certain skilled nursing or therapy services
Embrace Age Prepared provides in-home care coordination.
It is important to distinguish non-medical home care from home health care.
Non-medical home care usually helps with daily routines, personal care, supervision, meals, and household tasks. Home health care provides certain skilled medical services ordered under a health-care plan. Medicare’s home health guidance explains that covered home health may include intermittent skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and limited aide services when eligibility requirements are met.
In-home care may work well when:
- The home is reasonably safe
- The person wants to remain at home
- Family members can help coordinate care
- Reliable caregivers are available
- The required hours are financially sustainable
- There is a backup plan for missed shifts or emergencies
In-home care may become less practical when the person needs continuous supervision, has frequent falls, requires two-person transfers, wanders, has complex behaviors, or cannot be safely left alone between caregiver visits. Families may then need to compare assisted living or memory care.
5. Adult foster homes
In Oregon, adult foster homes are licensed single-family residences that provide 24-hour care in a home-like setting. The Oregon Department of Human Services states that adult foster homes may serve people with needs ranging from room and board to full personal care. Review Oregon’s adult foster home licensing information and learn how Embrace helps families compare adult foster homes.
Adult foster homes may be a good fit for someone who:
- Prefers a smaller setting
- Wants more personal attention
- Needs help with daily activities
- Would feel overwhelmed in a large community
- Benefits from a quieter, residential environment
Services may include:
- Meals
- Bathing and dressing assistance
- Medication support
- Mobility assistance
- Housekeeping
- Personal supervision
- Dementia-related support, depending on the home’s capabilities
Do not assume every adult foster home can meet the same level of need. Ask about:
- The home’s license and inspection history
- Number of residents
- Awake and sleeping staff coverage
- Experience with dementia, falls, or behavioral needs
- Transfer and mobility limitations
- Medication procedures
- What happens if care needs increase
- Whether the home can accept Medicaid or other funding
Read more about adult foster homes.
6. Assisted living facilities
Assisted living provides housing plus help with daily activities.
Residents may receive support with:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Grooming
- Toileting
- Meals
- Medication management
- Mobility
- Housekeeping
- Laundry
- Transportation
- Social activities
Assisted living is generally designed for people who need regular help but do not require the level of medical care provided by a skilled nursing facility.
It may be a good fit when a person:
- Is no longer managing safely at home
- Needs help with several daily activities
- Needs medication support
- Benefits from meals and routine
- Wants social connection
- Does not require continuous skilled nursing
Assisted living is not one uniform service. Communities differ in:
- Staffing levels
- Overnight coverage
- Medication policies
- Dementia capabilities
- Transfer assistance
- Care-level pricing
- Availability of nurses
- Policies for changing needs
Review Embrace’s assisted living information, but always confirm the exact services and fees directly with a community.
7. Residential care facilities
Residential care facilities are another Oregon community-based care setting.
Oregon’s Community-Based Care program includes assisted living facilities, residential care facilities, and memory care communities. The state describes these settings as providing individualized services in home-like environments to older adults, people with disabilities, and people living with dementia. See Oregon’s community-based care licensing information.
Families should not assume that “residential care” is always a lower or higher level than “assisted living.” The labels alone do not tell you:
- How much personal care is provided
- Whether nurses are available
- Whether staff are awake overnight
- Whether two-person transfers are permitted
- Whether dementia-related behaviors can be supported
- How medications are handled
- When a resident may need to move
Compare the specific license, staffing model, care plan, and limitations of each facility.
Explore Embrace’s residential care facility guidance.
8. Memory care
Memory care is specialized support for people living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or another cognitive condition.
Memory care may be provided in:
- A dedicated memory care community
- A secured area within an assisted living facility
- A secured area within a residential care facility
- Another setting specifically designed for dementia support
Memory care often includes:
- Structured daily routines
- Staff trained in dementia care
- Supervision throughout the day and night
- Secured entrances and exits
- Support with bathing, dressing, meals, and medications
- Activities designed around residents’ abilities and interests
- Care plans that address cognition, behavior, mobility, and safety
Memory care may be appropriate when a person is experiencing:
- Wandering or exit-seeking
- Frequent disorientation
- Unsafe medication use
- Increasing difficulty with personal care
- Significant changes in judgment or behavior
- A need for more structure than ordinary assisted living provides
When touring memory care, ask:
- How are staff trained in dementia care?
- How does the community respond to wandering?
- What happens during agitation or aggression?
- How are falls and nighttime needs handled?
- How are families updated about changes?
- What care needs would require a move to another setting?
Learn more about memory care options.
9. Skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes
The terms skilled nursing facility, nursing facility, and nursing home are often used interchangeably, but they may describe different care situations.
A skilled nursing facility may provide short-term rehabilitation and medical treatment after hospitalization. Medicare describes SNFs as places where people may temporarily receive rehabilitation and medical care after an illness or injury. Review Medicare’s skilled nursing facility guidance.
A nursing home may also provide long-term residential care for people who need extensive nursing support or cannot safely live in a less-supported setting.
Skilled nursing may be appropriate for:
- Post-hospital rehabilitation
- Complex wound care
- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy
- Significant medical monitoring
- Extensive assistance with daily activities
- Long-term nursing needs
Ask whether the program is primarily:
- Short-term rehabilitation
- Long-term nursing care
- Memory care
- Hospice or end-of-life support
- A combination of services
Also ask about therapy schedules, nursing coverage, care-plan meetings, family communication, discharge planning, and what happens when Medicare coverage ends.
Other care terms families may encounter
Respite care
Respite care is short-term support that gives a family caregiver time away from caregiving responsibilities. It may be provided at home, through an adult day program, or in a residential setting.
Respite care is a service period, not necessarily a permanent housing choice.
Adult day services
Adult day services provide structured daytime support, activities, meals, supervision, or health services while the person returns home at night. They may help families delay or avoid a full-time residential move when the home remains safe.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is focused on recovery, strengthening, mobility, and returning to a prior level of function after an injury, illness, or hospitalization. It is usually time-limited and should not be confused with permanent long-term care.
Home health
Home health provides certain skilled medical services in the home. It is different from hiring a caregiver for daily companionship, housekeeping, or ongoing personal care.
How types of senior living and care options relate to one another
A family may use different types of care at different times.
For example:
- An active adult may begin in a 55+ community.
- The person may later move to independent living for meals, transportation, and maintenance.
- In-home care may be added after a fall or surgery.
- Assisted living may become appropriate when daily help is needed.
- Memory care may become necessary if dementia-related safety concerns increase.
- Skilled nursing may be needed temporarily after a hospitalization or longer term for complex medical needs.
This is not a required sequence. People do not always move from one level to the next, and a higher-cost setting is not automatically a better fit.
The right choice depends on:
- Current care needs
- Safety
- Cognitive status
- Mobility and fall risk
- Medication needs
- Family availability
- Budget
- Location
- Provider capabilities
- How sustainable the plan will be if needs change
Oregon senior care costs
Costs vary widely by city, provider, room type, care level, staffing needs, and services included in the base rate.
CareScout’s 2025 Cost of Care Survey reported these Oregon median costs:
| Care type | Oregon median |
| Non-medical caregiver | $40 per hour |
| Assisted living community | $6,875 per month |
| Nursing home, semi-private room | $16,760 per month |
| Nursing home, private room | $18,448 per month |
The CareScout figures use different assumptions for each category. The assisted living figure is a reported monthly private one-bedroom rate. Nursing home figures are based on 365 days of care. The caregiver figure is an hourly rate. See the CareScout 2025 cost tables for methodology.
These figures do not create a quote for any specific community. Independent living, adult foster homes, residential care, memory care, and continuing care communities may use different pricing structures.
When comparing costs, ask about:
- Base monthly rent
- Level-of-care charges
- Medication fees
- Incontinence supplies or care
- Transportation
- Meal plans
- Laundry and housekeeping
- Move-in fees
- Community or entrance fees
- Deposits
- Annual rate increases
- Charges for additional caregiver hours
- Costs if care needs increase
The lowest monthly price may not be the lowest total cost if important services are billed separately.
How families pay for care
Payment depends on the type of care and the person’s financial and insurance situation.
Medicare generally does not pay for long-term custodial care, including most ongoing assistance with daily activities. It may cover certain skilled nursing or home health services when specific eligibility requirements are met. Review Medicare’s long-term care guidance.
Oregon Medicaid, known as the Oregon Health Plan, may help eligible individuals pay for certain long-term care services in the home or in a facility. Eligibility rules and programs vary. Oregon families can start with the state’s long-term care and payment information. Embrace’s expert placement advisory service can help families organize a care-setting comparison before discussing costs with providers.
Other possible resources may include:
- Private funds
- Long-term care insurance
- Veterans benefits
- Retirement income
- Home equity
- Family contributions
- Community programs
Families should consult qualified financial, legal, or benefits professionals for advice about their specific situation.
How to choose among types of senior living and care
1. Describe what is happening day to day
Write down what help is needed with:
- Bathing and dressing
- Toileting
- Meals and nutrition
- Medications
- Walking and transfers
- Falls
- Driving
- Housekeeping
- Sleep and nighttime supervision
- Memory and judgment
- Wandering
- Agitation or other behavioral changes
Specific examples are more useful than saying someone is “not doing well.”
2. Decide whether the main need is housing, support, or medical care
Ask:
- Is the person mainly looking for community and convenience?
- Could the person remain home with reliable caregiver support?
- Is daily hands-on help needed?
- Is dementia supervision required?
- Is rehabilitation or skilled nursing needed?
3. Verify what each provider can actually do
Ask each provider to explain its limitations, not only its amenities.
Important questions include:
- Can staff assist with transfers?
- Can staff administer medications?
- Is someone awake overnight?
- How are falls handled?
- Can the community support incontinence?
- What happens if dementia progresses?
- Are outside caregivers allowed?
- When would the resident need to move?
4. Compare the full cost
Request a written fee schedule and care assessment. Ask which services are included and which are billed separately.
5. Verify licensing and inspection information
Use Oregon’s licensed long-term care facility search tool and ask the provider about its license, inspection history, complaint process, and care limitations.
6. Plan for the next change
A good plan should work not only today but also after a fall, hospitalization, memory change, or loss of driving ability.
Ask:
- Can the person remain in the same setting?
- Is another level of care available nearby?
- What happens if the family caregiver becomes unavailable?
- How quickly could a transition occur?
- What would the backup plan cost?
Questions to ask during a tour
Bring these questions with you when touring independent living, assisted living, memory care, or an adult foster home:
- What level of care is this community licensed and staffed to provide?
- What services are included in the monthly fee?
- What services cost extra?
- How are care needs assessed?
- How often are care plans updated?
- Is a nurse available, and during what hours?
- Is staff awake overnight?
- What is the staff-to-resident ratio?
- How does the community handle falls and emergencies?
- How does it support dementia-related behaviors?
- What happens if care needs increase?
- Can residents bring in outside caregivers?
- How are families notified about changes?
- What is the discharge or move-out policy?
- What are the deposit, refund, and rate-increase policies?
How Embrace Age Prepared can help
Understanding the types of senior living is an important first step. The next step is determining which options are realistic for the person’s care needs, location, budget, and timeline.
Embrace Age Prepared’s expert placement advisory service helps Oregon families compare options such as:
- Independent living
- Retirement living
- Assisted living
- Residential care
- Memory care
- Adult foster homes
- In-home care
- Other long-term living options
Embrace can help families clarify care needs, prepare questions, compare realistic providers, and plan for a transition. Families facing an urgent hospital or rehabilitation discharge may also benefit from reading the Oregon hospital discharge guide.
Placement guidance is typically offered at no cost to families because Embrace Age Prepared may receive referral compensation from participating communities and providers. Some private advocacy, oversight, and transition services may be fee-based. Embrace does not provide medical, legal, or financial advice.
Contact Embrace Age Prepared to discuss your family’s options.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between independent living and assisted living?
Independent living is generally designed for older adults who can manage daily activities but want maintenance-free housing, meals, transportation, and community. Assisted living adds regular help with personal care, medications, meals, mobility, or other daily tasks.
Is memory care separate from assisted living?
Sometimes. Memory care may be offered in a dedicated community or in a secured area of an assisted living or residential care facility. Families should ask about dementia training, security, staffing, and care limitations.
Is an adult foster home the same as assisted living?
No. An adult foster home is a licensed single-family residence with a smaller, home-like setting. Assisted living is usually provided in a larger community or facility. Both can provide personal care, but services and staffing vary.
Is a nursing home the same as a skilled nursing facility?
The terms overlap, but skilled nursing often refers to short-term medical rehabilitation after hospitalization, while nursing home care may also refer to long-term residential nursing care. Ask whether the provider offers short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, or both.
Does Medicare pay for assisted living?
Medicare generally does not pay for ongoing assisted living or other long-term custodial care. It may cover certain skilled nursing or home health services when specific requirements are met.
What should I do if I do not know which option is right?
Start by documenting the help your loved one needs with daily activities, medications, mobility, memory, safety, and nighttime supervision. Then speak with a qualified advisor, healthcare professional, or Oregon Aging and Disability Resource Connection representative before choosing a setting.
Can Embrace Age Prepared help compare multiple care options?
Yes. Embrace helps Oregon families understand and compare several senior living and care options, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, adult foster homes, residential care, and in-home care.
Sources and editorial note
This guide is educational and is not medical, legal, financial, or benefits advice. Licensing rules, provider availability, prices, contracts, and services can change. Confirm current details directly with the provider and consult qualified professionals about your family’s specific situation.
Sources:
- Oregon Department of Human Services: Long-term Care Options
- Oregon Department of Human Services: Adult Foster Home Licensing
- Oregon Department of Human Services: Community-Based Care Facility Licensing
- Medicare: Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Medicare: Long-term Care Coverage
- Medicare: Home Health Services
- CareScout: 2025 Cost of Care Survey
- Administration for Community Living: Continuing Care Retirement Communities