If you are touring assisted living in Utah, you will eventually hear “we’re a Type II” or “we’re licensed Type I.” It sounds like jargon, but it is one of the most useful facts you can learn about a community, because it decides who can move in and who may have to move out.
The one-sentence difference
A Type I resident can get out of the building in an emergency on their own. A Type II resident may need the limited help of one person to get out, and may need much more hands-on care day to day.
Side by side
| Type I | Type II | |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency exit | Resident can take life-saving action and leave without another person’s help | Resident can leave with the limited help of one person |
| Daily help | No help or limited help with daily activities; not total help with more than three | May need total help with more than three daily activities, if staffing meets their needs |
| Health | Stable health | May have physical disabilities or cognitive impairment, if they can still evacuate with one person’s help |
| Nursing | Registered nurse on staff or contract to provide or delegate medication administration for residents who cannot manage their own | Registered nurse provides or supervises nursing assessment, health monitoring and routine nursing tasks |
| Aides | Qualified direct-care staff on site 24 hours | At least one certified nurse aide on duty 24 hours a day |
| Administrator | Associate degree or two years of health care facility experience | Must complete a state-approved national certification program within six months of hire |
| Secure dementia unit | Not addressed; Utah’s secure unit rule is written for Type II | Allowed with approval, under rule R432-270-16 |
The “daily activities” are things like bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, moving from bed to chair, and walking.
What neither type can do
Neither Type I nor Type II assisted living may provide skilled nursing care. Utah’s rule also lists people neither type may admit or keep, including someone who needs 24-hour nursing care for more than 15 days, or whose behavior is suicidal or assaultive. In those cases a nursing home or a specialized program is usually the next step. A resident can still receive home health or hospice visits inside either type.
Which one fits your loved one?
Picture a fire alarm going off at 2 a.m. Could your parent get up, find the exit and walk out on their own? If yes, a Type I may fit today. If they would need someone to guide them, help them stand, or steer them to the door, look at Type II.
Then think a year ahead:
- Is a progressive condition like Parkinson’s or dementia part of the picture?
- Has your parent fallen more than once recently?
- Are they starting to need help with more daily tasks each month?
If so, choosing a Type II now can spare everyone a second move. Some Type I communities may be a fine first step, but ask what happens when needs grow.
Questions to ask on a tour
- Which license do you hold, and for how many residents?
- What specific changes would require my parent to move out?
- If my parent would need Type II care later, do you have a Type II license or a sister community that does?
- Who is your registered nurse, and how many hours a week are they here?
You can confirm a license type yourself; see how to check a Utah care facility’s license and inspections. For the bigger picture, read assisted living in Utah.
Three examples
Dorothy, 84, walks with a cane, manages her own pills with a weekly organizer, and mainly needs help with showers and laundry. She could easily get herself outside if an alarm sounded. A Type I community may fit her well.
Frank, 79, had a stroke last year. He uses a wheelchair and needs a hand with dressing, bathing, toileting and transfers, but he knows exactly what he wants and directs his own care. With one person’s help he can get out of the building. He needs Type II.
Ruth, 88, has moderate Alzheimer’s. She is physically strong but has walked out of her house at night twice, and she would not recognize a fire alarm as a reason to leave. She needs a Type II community with an approved secure unit, which families usually call memory care.
These are illustrations, not assessments. The community’s nurse will make the formal call, and Utah requires that assessment before admission and at least every six months after.
Why the license matters for a move-out
The license sets the ceiling on what a community may do. If your parent’s needs rise past what a Type I may accept, the community may have to give notice, even if everyone there loves them. Utah generally requires 30 days’ written notice under the admission agreement, but a second move is hard on anyone, and harder still for someone frail or confused.
Common questions
Is Type 2 assisted living more expensive in Utah?
Often, because it requires a certified nurse aide on duty around the clock and more nursing oversight. But cost depends mostly on the care level your loved one is assessed at, so compare the total monthly price for their needs.
Can a Type I facility accept someone with dementia?
Utah’s rule allows a Type I to accept residents with cognitive impairment who can still evacuate without another person’s help. Once a person needs a secure environment, they need a Type II with an approved secure unit.
Where are these rules written?
Utah Administrative Code R432-270, enforced by the Utah DHHS Division of Licensing and Background Checks.
Want help sorting it out? A Utah Care Network guide can talk it through with you, free. Tell us about your loved one or call 801-859-7000.
Sources
- Utah Admin. Code R432-270-11: Admissions
- Utah Admin. Code R432-270-15: Nursing services
- Utah Admin. Code R432-270-16: Secure units
- Utah DLBC: Assisted living facility rule R432-270 (PDF)
This guide is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Coverage rules change; confirm details with the program or your plan.
