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Introduction
Health Care For
Homeless Veterans
Florida Assertive
Community Treatment
Helping Hands
Clinic
Veterans Video
Network
Mental Health
Intensive Case Management
Crisis
Intervention Team
Assisted Living
Facilities
National Alliance
On Mental Illnesses
Alachua County
Survivors Of Suicide and Alachua County Crisis Center
Mental Health
Court
Acknowledgements |
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Assisted Living Facilities (ALF’s)
play an important role in the community care of the mentally ill.
There are patients with psychiatric illness who do not require
hospitalization but cannot live independently. Their illness is so
disabling that everyday activities become difficult, i.e. cooking,
basic hygiene, socialization. Without structure outside the
hospital, medication compliance is an issue resulting in worsening
of the psychiatric condition, further strain on the family and
re-hospitalization.
ALF’s are assisted living residential settings. Some specially
licensed ALF's do provide limited nursing care, called extended
congregate care, but this is not the norm. The main purpose of an
ALF is to provide care for people who do not need nursing home care,
but do need help with personal care. They receive help with bathing,
grooming, and dressing. Additional services can include management
of the resident's care, including assessment of the resident's
needs; planning services; coordinating and assisting residents with
access to needed medical, mental health, social, educational, or
other services; providing or arranging for transportation to needed
health monitoring; assisting with self-administration of medication;
and offering social and leisure activities to aid in socialization.
The shortage of ALF’s in our community was highlighted on February
14, 2004 when a well-known ALF called Bailey Village closed its
doors. The state had difficulty relocating the sixty mentally ill
residents of the facility because existing facilities had waiting
lists. Bailey Village now serves a different function; it houses
homeless veterans while they transition into permanent housing (see
pg.5).
For more information on Assisted Living Facilities, contact Doreen
Adams, ALF Administrator 386-454-7612.
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