Nursing home = offers constant skilled nursing care; only people who need that level of care (due to mental or physical infirmities) go to a nursing home

Assisted living = provides support for residents who are still able to live independently to some extent; usually offers a range of support levels, which enables it to serve a broad spectrum of residents and also gives residents the opportunity to age in place (once they are there); typically offers meals, laundry and housekeeping, organized activities, group outings, transportation to dr appts and other errands, assistance with daily medication; trained nurses on staff for emergencies but not for ongoing care; many have “memory units” which are secure areas with lower staff/resident ratios, for residents who are physically able but have cognitive impairments that make it impossible for them to live safely in the main area.

Having been directly involved in elder care for family members since my adolescence (and therefore experienced the cultural and the practical landscapes for aging and its associated infirmities during various decades), I’m really glad this issue has surfaced in the City’s strategic planning discussions. Growing old is really hard, and to tell you the absolute truth, some people reach a point where it most definitely does not beat the alternative. But it is what it is, and all we can do is take care of our health when we’re younger and try to improve both our culture and our practical infrastructure before it’s our turn!

At the time it probably entered our code, all that was building out in Decatur was the north side. If Decatur’s anything like most places with a similar regulation, they wanted to ensure the suburban family development of the day and 1,500 is a pretty good number to do that.

If it’s the latter, I hope that the city will note that a chief reason for retrofitting is to make housing more accessible as people age. Homeowners can hugely reduce the cost of and need for home modifications by adding basic accessibility features at the planning level — sufficiently wide doors (32″+), one zero-step entrance (which needn’t be at the front), and a maneuverable first-floor bathroom.

The best source of basic home access information is Concrete Change – http://www.concretechange.org. In fact, the founder (who lives in the Atlanta area) is regarded as the mother of the nation’s Visitability movement.