Assisted Living In Oregon

Oregon has been gaining popularity amongst older adults who are looking for a place to enjoy their retirement. The state exempts Social Security Income from state income tax and does not impose any form of sales tax. Additionally, it is known for its geographical beauty, low crime rates, and temperate climate. Oregon stands out for its sustainable living with Portland being ranked as one of the greenest cities in the world.

Directory of Assisted Living Facilities in Oregon

When researching assisted living facilities for yourself or a loved one, you must consider the financial assistance accepted at the facility in addition to the amenities offered and the quality of care. The directory below lists information on 358 assisted living facilities in the state of Oregon.

Paying For Assisted Living in Oregon

The Cost of Assisted Living in Oregon

The monthly median cost of an assisted living facility is $4,593, which is slightly higher than the national average of $4,000. According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care Survey, the monthly cost of assisted living in Oregon is the second highest amongst all of its neighboring states after Washington.

 

The average monthly cost of assisted living in Oregon ranges from $4,025 to $5,390, varying across the state. The average cost in Eugene is the lowest in the state at $4,025, while Grants Pass is the highest at $5,390.

 

The average monthly cost of independent living in Oregon is the lowest among all long-term care options, including assisted living, but it doesn’t offer the same level of care. On the other end of the spectrum, nursing home care is significantly more expensive than assisted living.

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Oregon

Oregon Health Plan

The Medicaid program in Oregon is called the Oregon Health Plan and is administered by the Oregon Health Authority. The program has strict financial eligibility criteria and offers the Community First Choice plan to provide financial assistance to elderly who need long-term institutional care apart from nursing homes. Since the Community First Choice Plan is directly offered by Oregon’s Medicaid program, the plan is an entitlement allowing all eligible applicants with access to Medicaid benefits.

Who Is Eligible

Applicants for the Oregon Health Plan must be 65 years or older, U.S. citizens, and residents of Oregon. The state limits Medicaid benefits to individuals whose monthly income does not exceed $2,250 and whose assets are not higher than $2,000.

Oregon’s Medicaid program evaluates individuals on the level of care needed on a scale from 1 – 18. Individuals who need skilled nursing care and complete assistance with daily living activities are considered to be at Level 1, while individuals who only need a structured community environment with little or no assistance with activities of daily living are assessed to be at Level 18. Medicaid benefits are available to applicants who fall in the Level 1 to Level 13 range.

How To Apply

Applicants who receive medical assistance through Oregon Health Plan can apply for the Community First Choice program through the local Area Agency on Aging or Seniors & People with Physical Disability office. Individuals can apply online on the Oregon Health Plan website. A paper application can be requested by the customer service at 1-800-699-9075.

More Ways to Finance Assisted Living

• Veterans Benefits: Veterans can take advantage of several different pension programs to help cover the cost of assisted living. For more information, see the article on benefits.va.gov.

• Life Insurance Policies: Even if a spouse or loved one hasn’t died, certain types of life insurance policies can be used to pay for assisted living. More information is available at longtermcare.acl.gov

• Long-Term Care Insurance: Long-term care insurance is a type of insurance policy that pays for long-term care when it becomes necessary, including the cost of assisted living. For more information on the benefits and drawbacks of this financing method, visit longtermcare.acl.gov.

• Reverse Mortgages: Reverse mortgages allow seniors to access the equity from a home that they own, and these funds can be used to pay for assisted living. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers a federally insured reverse mortgage program.

Free Assisted Living Resources in Oregon

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman ensures that residents of long-term care facilities receive quality care and live with dignity. The Ombudsman program is an independent state agency that works with a network of trained and certified staff and volunteers across the state to oversee the all licensed assisted living facilities in Oregon. The responsibilities of an Ombudsman include:

• Protecting residents’ rights to choose their care plans freely and live with dignity
• Offering free consultations to help individuals understand the long-term care system and make informed choices
• Addressing resident concerns like medications, billing, care plans, meal quality, and dignity
• Investigating complaints regarding abuse, neglect, and violation of any regulations issued by the state

The Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman can be reached at:

Phone: (503) 378-6852

Toll-Free: (844) 674-4567

Website: https://www.oltco.org/programs/ltco-about-us.html

Area Agencies on Aging

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) aim to serve the elderly population with assistance and information on many issues like supplemental services, long-term care facilities, counseling, caregiver training, and financial assistance.

Veterans Affairs

The Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs is the state agency that oversees the programs and benefits available for veterans and their families. The state has Veteran Affairs centers in all its major cities to provide information on different programs providing long-term care and help understanding and claiming VA benefits.

Social Security Offices

Social security offices help senior citizens understand the benefits of social security. Oregon has a network of social security offices that assist the elderly with applications, eligibility criteria, and social security income and benefits.

Assisted Living Laws and Regulations in Oregon

Assisted Living Service Plans

Assisted living facilities in Oregon are required to develop a comprehensive service plan before admitting residents. The service plan will be based on the initial assessment of the resident’s physical and mental condition, preferences, daily living activities, communication, treatment types, and risk indicators. A registered nurse, the resident’s family member or case manager, and the resident’s physician must be involved in developing the service plan.

Assisted Living Admission Requirements

According to the regulations laid by the Department of Human Services, an assisted living facility is not allowed to admit or retain residents who:

• Have needs that exceed the level of assistance with daily living
• Engage in actions that can risk the safety and health of other residents
• Have complex, unstable, or unpredictable medical conditions
• Are not able to cooperate with the facility’s staff in evacuation procedures

Assisted Living Scope of Care

Assisted living facilities offer person-centered care which values a resident’s right to dignity, privacy, and independence. An assisted living facility should provide assistance with:

• Daily living activities
• Medication administration
• Social and recreational programs
• Laundry and housekeeping services
• Social and medical transportation

Assisted Living Medicaid Policy

Oregon Health Plan is the Medicaid program in Oregon. It directly covers the cost of assisted living facilities through its Community First Choice plan. The plan pays for all the services except the room and board expenses. While anyone eligible is entitled to the benefits of Oregon’s Medicaid plan, not all assisted living facilities in Oregon accept Medicaid payments.

Assisted Living Facility Requirements

The Oregon Department of Human Resources specifies the structural requirements for a licensed assisted living facility. Assisted living facilities must conform to the state and federal building codes, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Housing Act.

An assisted living facility in Oregon must have:

• Individual apartments that can be shared based on the resident’s choice
• A kitchenette equipped with a sink, refrigerator, cooking appliance, a place for food preparation, and a storage space
• A private bathroom with a toilet, sink, and a curbless shower area
• Escape windows that open directly onto the public street, yard, or exit court

Medication Management Regulations

Assisted living facilities are allowed to administer medications to residents. The medication administration system must be approved by a registered nurse or a physician. Medication can be administered by the direct care staff if they are trained to do so safely without supervision. Most residents of assisted living facilities self-administer medications. The facility must evaluate all prescription medications for safe self-administration.

Staffing Requirements

Every assisted living facility should employ:

• A full-time administrator to oversee the functioning of the facility
• A full-time or contract-based licensed nurse
• Adequate number of caregivers to provide resident-focused assistance with daily activities, medical administration, and supervision
• Adequate number of universal workers for housekeeping, laundry, janitorial, and food service
• An attendant awake at all times to respond to the needs of the residents

Staff Training Requirements

The Oregon Department of Human Resources has specified the orientation and training programs for staff members of assisted living facilities. Before beginning their work with the residents, staff members must receive an orientation on the rights of a resident, abuse and reporting requirements, standard precautions for infection control, and fire safety and emergency evacuation. Assisted living administrators are required to complete 20 hours of continuing education while caregivers should complete 12 hours of in-service training per year.

An assisted living facility must train its staff members in:

• Assisting residents with activities of daily living
• Understanding and identifying changes associated with normal aging
• Identifying conditions that require assessment, treatment, or reporting
• Understanding the resident’s actions and behaviors as a form of communication
• Understanding and supporting residents with dementia
• Food safety, service, and sanitation
• Use of abdominal thrust and first-aid

Background Checks for Assisted Living

Every staff member of an assisted living facility must clear a background check as per the state’s prescribed process. Any staff member convicted of felony or crime related to the abuse of the elderly or vulnerable cannot be employed at an assisted living facility. A fingerprint check is required to carry out a national criminal background check. Oregon allows public access to criminal record information in specific situations. An online request can be filed with the Criminal Justice Information Services at oregon.gov.

Requirements for Reporting Abuse

The Department of Human Services investigates all types of complaints related to elder abuse in long-term care facilities including assisted living. Any behavior, including caregiver- or self-negligence, that inflicts harm on the physical, emotional, financial, mental well-being of an adult aged 65 or above is termed as elder abuse.

Any case or suspicions regarding elder abuse can be reported to the Adult Protective Services by calling the statewide Abuse Reporting hotline 1-855-503-7233. Any suspicious financial abuse by assisted living facilities should be reported by calling the Medicaid fraud hotline 1-888-372-8301 or by filing an online report with the Department of Human Services.

If an assisted living facility is suspected to violate any rule and regulation laid down by the state, a complaint should be reported to the Community-Based Care Licensing Complaint Unit at 1-844-503-4773.

Oregon COVID-19 Rules for Assisted Living Facilities

Note: The following information was compiled and most recently updated on 2/13/22. Since COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving crisis, be sure to contact your assisted living facility or local Area Agency on Aging for the most up-to-date information.

COVID-19 Rules in Oregon
Are loved ones allowed to visit residents in their assisted living community?	Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are residents required to quarantine after their loved ones visit?	No
Are loved ones required to wear masks when visiting residents?	Yes
Are Hairdressers and other non-medical contractors allowed in assisted living communities?	Yes
Are visitors screened for elevated temperatures before entering the assisted living community?	Yes
Are residents allowed to leave the assisted living community for non-medical reasons?	Yes
Are residents who leave required to quarantine when they get back to the assisted living community?	No (Conditions Apply)
Are assisted living communities required to cancel all group outings?	No
Are assisted living communities allowed to host group activities within the community?	Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are staff members regularly checked for elevated temperatures?	Yes
Are staff members regularly tested for COVID-19?	Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are residents regularly screened for COVID-19 symptoms?	Yes
Are residents regularly checked for elevated temperatures?	Yes
Are residents regularly tested for COVID-19?	Yes (Conditions Apply)

 

Sources: www.oregon.gov www.cdc.gov