Understanding What “Assisted" or "Independent" Living Means in Michigan

One of the most important things to know is that in Michigan, “assisted living” and “independent living” are not actually specific types of licenses. 

Our website currently shows all licensed and license-exempt homes that are typically called assisted living and independent living homes. It currently does not have nursing homes.

Assisted Living — Adult Foster Care (AFC) vs Home for the Aged (HFA)

Most times, “assisted living” facilities are legally licensed as Adult Foster Care (AFC) or Home for the Aged (HFA) when they provide personal care and 24/7 supervision to residents. 

However, some "assisted living" facilities in Michigan are exempt from a license altogether, meaning they do not require a license and may not be required to follow the same laws as licensed facilities. 

One of the most noticeable differences between Adult Foster Care (AFC) and Home for the Aged (HFA) is the number of residents per home. In Michigan, the average number of beds in AFC is 7 per facility. While the average number of beds in HFA is 80 per facility.

Adult Foster Care (AFC) is further broken down into 2 types: Adult Family Homes and Adult Group Homes.

Family Homes require the owner of the facility to live in the home and can have a maximum of 6 residents. Group Homes do not require the owner to live in the home, and have 3 further classifications (small, medium, and large).

Independent Living

Independent living facilities often have gotten a license exemption from the state of Michigan meaning they do not operate as a AFC or HFA as they do not offer personal care. They are not licensed or inspected as an HFA, although other laws and regulations still apply.

Licensed-Exempt Facilities

Most facilities that are shown as exempt from a license either are independent living facilities that don't offer personal care or supervision OR the personal care is provided by a separate company from the housing company. So it is important to check with every facility what amenities they offer. Click here to learn more about licensed-exempt facilities.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are a separate category altogether and generally are different from assisted living facilities. They operate under a Nursing Home (NH) license, which allows them to provide a higher level of continuous nursing and medical care.  We do not have nursing homes currently on our website.

Senior Living

“Senior living” is a broad term used to describe housing and care options for older adults. It is not a specific Michigan license and can describe anything from independent senior apartments to assisted living and higher-care facilities. 

When researching homes, always clarify what license they operate under and what level of care they provide.