Empowering Your Journey:
A Guide to Assisted Living in Northern Virginia
We are delighted to introduce this indispensable companion to the 224-page 2025 Positive Aging Sourcebook, dedicated exclusively to Assisted Living in Northern Virginia. This guide is thoughtfully designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the diverse landscape of senior living options in Northern Virginia, DC and the State of Maryland.
Inside, you will find a comprehensive directory of all Assisted Living Communities in Northern Virginia, paired with user-friendly content and practical checklists. These resources will help you effectively research, evaluate, and compare your choices to find the ideal living arrangement for yourself or your loved ones.
Understanding where Assisted Living fits within the broader senior living ecosystem is crucial. To assist with this, we encourage you to explore the “Journey Through Senior Living” feature on the next page, which provides an overview of various senior living options.
Northern Virginia offers a rich array of assisted living communities, each with unique amenities and services tailored to meet individual needs. Whether you’re seeking vibrant social environments, specialized memory care, or access to cultural and recreational activities, this guide ensures you have the information necessary to make informed decisions.
For additional resources and insights into assisted living and other senior living options, visit our website at www. proaging.com. Together, let’s make positive aging a reality by finding solutions that enhance quality of life and provide peace of mind for seniors and their families.
STEVE GURNEY steve@proaging.com
This section is designed for your important details, questions, or insights as you explore assisted living and other resources.
A Journey Through Senior Living
There’s no single path for senior living that fits everyone; journeys involve detours, intersections, and opportunities to reroute. Countless resources are available to help you navigate your journey. Remember, you don’t have to take this trip alone!
Aging in Place
Choose to remain in your home or move to an apartment or condo that is not in a senior living community.
Making a Move
When your current home is not the desired or most appropriate option to live a purposeful lifestyle.
You don’t need to walk the road alone. A variety of resources are available for support and decision making.
• Health Care Support—Enlist specialized professionals to help with hearing, vision, mental, health, and disease-specific needs
• Money Matters —Find help with managing day-to-day finances and planning ahead
• Elder Law—Understand your legal rights and plan ahead with advance directives and wills
This page shows the
• Mediation—Solve family disputes related to caregiving or retirement living
• Aging Life Care Professionals—Make care decisions easier with professional help
• Area Agencies on Aging—Find assistance from local governments
• End-of-Life Support—Find the right care and advocacy at the end of life
Housing Options
Accommodating a variety of needs, tastes and budgets
The senior living industry can seem overwhelming, but the important thing to keep in mind is that there is a housing option perfect for every person and every situation. Start here to find it.
What housing options are available and how can they help me?
Life plan communities are also known as continuing care retirement communities. These communities generally feature care options ranging from independent living to long-term nursing care on one campus. Residents can transfer to higher levels of care as needed.
For older adults who want to leave the burdens of home maintenance behind, independent living communities may be the ideal option. In addition to property upkeep, these communities also generally offer 24-hour security and activities to keep residents engaged. Most independent living communities are rental properties, although some do offer the option for residents to purchase units.
Individuals who need assistance with the activities of daily living may want to consider an assisted living community. In addition to daily assistance, these communities also offer activity programs to fit the interests of every resident.
Assisted living communities are an important option for older adults who need some level of help on a daily basis. All of these communities offer standard services including daily meals;
| Assisted Living | The Essentials
Serving: Older adults who need some assistance with daily living. Includes: Meals, supervision, security, help with personal care needs, medication management, and various other services.
Terms to Know: Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs, include bathing, dressing, toileting, and other daily activities. Assisted living communities help residents with ADLs, making it possible for many older adults to remain independent.
Payment Options: Generally private pay. Medicaid may offer assistance for income-qualified seniors. State, local, or communitybased subsidies may also be available for low-income residents. Longterm care insurance will generally cover the costs of assisted living. These policies are separate from traditional medical insurance.
Selecting a community: Assess your needs. Compare communities. Visit communities. Ask questions and ask for copies of the resident agreement. See the checklist on page 6.
supervision; security; and help with the activities of daily living, or ADLs. ADLs can include assistance with bathing, dressing and toileting. Some communities also offer help with medication management; transportation services; and coordination of medical, health and dental treatments.
Memory care communities are specialized residential facilities designed to provide comprehensive care and support for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other memoryrelated conditions. This guide offers specific information about assisted living in Northern Virginia. They offer secure environments to keep individuals with dementia safe, as well as enrichment activities to engage individuals with different degrees of memory loss.
Finally, whether for a short-term rehabilitation or a long-term medical stay, nursing and rehabilitation centers are a vital senior living option. Nursing and rehabilitation centers serve as permanent residences for individuals who are too sick or frail to live at home. They are also ideal for short-term stays for individuals who are recovering after a surgery or an illness.
How should I find a housing option?
Use our research. Sourcebook features detailed articles, checklists, featured listings and comprehensive tables in each of our specific housing sections. Use these resources to begin your search for a community that is right for you and your family. For more comprehensive information, order a free copy of Sourcebook or search listings online at proaging.com
Assisted Living in Virginia
Virginia has specific laws and regulations governing assisted living communities.
According to Virginia laws, licensed assisted living communities can provide two distinct levels of care. Residential Living services provide minimal assistance with the activities of daily living, or ADLs, to older adults who have only minor physical or mental limitations. Assisted Living services include more moderate assistance for residents who may need additional help to maintain their lifestyle. Aides and companions provide assistance with ADLs, as well as help with medications and arrangements for off-site medical services.
Assisted living communities provide residents with three meals and snacks every day. Meals are generally served in a congregate dining room. If a resident is ill, they can be served their meals in their rooms or in an on-site infirmary.
With the help of volunteers and activity staff, assisted living communities deliver social, recreational, and religious activities for residents. State
With the help of volunteers and activity staff, assisted living communities deliver social, recreational, and religious activities for residents.
regulations require that a certain number of hours each week
are reserved for social activities among residents.
Many assisted living facilities offer on-site facilities, amenities, and services. Certain services and facilities are typically included in the standard monthly fee that every resident pays. These include: housekeeping services, laundry services, group and individual transportation services, facility maintenance and groundskeeping, some utilities, and security services. The specific services and amenities that are included should be detailed in the residential contract. Residents and their loved ones should carefully review the contract before signing.
To meet state requirements, all assisted living communities in Virginia must have administrators who are responsible for the management of the home. They must also have aides and companions who provide direct assistance with ADLs to residents, maintenance and housekeeping staff, food service personnel, and activity planners.
More information about Virginia requirements and resident’s rights and responsibilities is available at vhi.org
Choosing Assisted Living
Use this checklist to review options:
FEES AND COSTS
What services are included in the monthly fee?
What services are available for an additional fee? What are the fees?
How often do resident rate increases occur?
How much notice do residents receive prior to a rate increase?
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Is the community clean and well maintained?
Are there multiple floor plans available?
Can residents decorate their apartments according to their personal tastes?
Is the community pet friendly?
Does the community have safety features, such as handrails and grab bars?
Do individual residences include safety features, such as emergency alert and fire suppression systems?
DINING SERVICES
Does the dining room look and smell inviting?
Are the dining room tables, chairs and linens in good condition?
Are three daily meals, snacks and beverages included in the monthly rate?
Does the resident committee work with the dining staff to develop menus?
Can special dietary needs be accommodated?
RESIDENT AND STAFF INTERACTION
What is the staff-to-resident ratio?
Is the community well staffed overnight?
How does the community handle residents who need additional care and support?
Is in-home care available if needed?
Do staff members undergo screenings and background checks prior to employment?
Is the staff screened and evaluated for their ability to work with older adults in the assisted living setting?
Does the community have its most recent survey results posted or displayed for families
to review?
Are staff trained and retrained at regular intervals?
Are housekeeping and laundry provided?
Are transportation services available?
Do caregivers interact with residents in positive ways?
Do residents appear tidy and well cared for?
ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS
Are activities scheduled throughout the day? Are fitness classes offered?
Are there dedicated spaces for resident clubs and informal gatherings?
Does the community offer regular outings to local restaurants, theaters, museums and other destinations?
Are there outdoor spaces available for walking, gardening and recreation?
Are volunteer programs available?
Do the residents appear engaged?
LOCATION
Is the community conveniently located for friends and family to visit?
Is the community in a safe neighborhood?
Are there shopping, dining and entertainment options near the community?
Is the community near preferred medical providers?
Source: www.whereyoulivematters.org, a senior living resource powered by the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA)
Virginia
ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITIES
FAIRFAX COUNTY (continued)
Sunrise
703-734-1600
703-214-4419
ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITIES
FAIRFAX COUNTY (continued)
FREDERICKSBURG REGION
LOUDOUN COUNTY
LOUDOUN COUNTY (continued)
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
Senior Living Resources
Offering vital assistance and support
Senior living resources include any professional or service that makes life easier for older adults and their families. Some prominent examples include elder law attorneys and aging life care professionals.
As the older adult population has grown, so have the number of professionals and services specifically dedicated to assisting older adults. Professionals who specialize in helping older adults have the expertise and the experience to make challenging situations easier.
How can senior living resources help me?
Senior living resources include professionals who can help older adults address any challenges that come along with aging.
For instance, elder law attorneys can help individuals get their affairs in order in terms of medical care, interventions, and the disposition of their assets after death.
Aging life care professionals provide families with help navigating the vast and complex senior living industry. They can help seniors find appropriate care environments and mediate family conflicts.
Beyond these two professions, there are hundreds of providers and resource companies that offer help specifically designed for seniors and their families.
How should I find a senior living resource?
Ask your friends and family for advice and recommendations.
Chances are, some of them have experienced the same or a similar challenge and may be able to suggest a course of action, or even a specific professional to help.
Use our research. Sourcebook
features detailed articles, checklists, featured listings and comprehensive tables in each section. Use these resources to begin your search for a professional who can help you and your family. Order a full copy or search listings at proaging.com
