Glossary
Two-person assist
A two-person assist means a resident needs two caregivers to transfer, reposition or bathe safely, a level of need that many assisted living communities cannot accept.
It is one of the most common reasons a community declines a move-in or asks a resident to leave. Ask directly whether the community accepts two-person assists.
Related terms
Activities of daily living (ADLs)
Activities of daily living are the basic self-care tasks, usually listed as bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (getting in and out of a bed or chair), continence and eating.
Level of care
Level of care is a community’s rating of how much personal assistance a resident needs, used to set the monthly care fee on top of base rent.
Skilled nursing facility (SNF)
A skilled nursing facility is a licensed medical setting providing 24-hour nursing care and rehabilitation, for short-term recovery after a hospital stay or for long-term care of people who need continuous nursing.
Definitions reviewed September 5, 2026. Rules vary by state and change over time; confirm specifics with the community and the licensing agency.