Assisted Living vs. Nursing Home in Michigan

Assisted living and nursing homes are not the same thing. The biggest difference is generally the level and type of care they are designed to provide.

Assisted living

“Assisted living” is a broad consumer term. In Michigan, many facilities marketed this way operate under an Adult Foster Care or Home for the Aged license, while some facilities may be exempt from those licensing categories.

These settings generally focus on housing, meals, supervision and help with personal-care needs such as bathing, dressing or medication support, depending on the home and the resident’s needs.

Nursing homes

Nursing homes provide a higher level of medical and nursing care and operate under a different regulatory framework. They may be appropriate for people who need skilled nursing, rehabilitation or more intensive medical support.

How do you know which one to choose?

Start with the person’s actual care needs rather than the name on the building. Ask what assistance is needed with mobility, bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, medications and medical care.

If a person’s needs are beyond what an assisted living home can safely provide, a nursing home or another higher-acuity setting may be more appropriate.

Compare Michigan assisted living options

Use the Michigan Assisted Living Home Guide to compare residential care homes by facility type, who they serve, capacity and published licensing information. For nursing-home options, use Michigan’s appropriate nursing-facility resources because nursing homes are not included in this directory.