You Can’t Spell PALTmed Without AL: The Growing Importance of Assisted Living in the Long-Term Care Continuum

Assisted living first arose as a social model focusing on hospitality services for residents rather than providing on-site medical care. However, the number of older adults in the United States residing in assisted living communities (ALCs) now has surpassed the number of those living in traditional long-term care (LTC) nursing home settings. Several factors have driven this change, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of more options for on-site medical care in many ALCs.