Independent living is typically unlicensed housing with services bundled in, since no personal care is provided. Assisted living is licensed by the Ohio Department of Health as a Residential Care Facility because it involves hands-on help with daily activities.
The distinction that matters
The distinction is functional rather than architectural -- a beautiful, service-rich independent living apartment and a modest assisted living unit can look similar from the outside, but Ohio's licensing framework cares about what care is actually being delivered, not how the building is marketed. If a resident needs help bathing, dressing, or managing medications, that need pushes the situation into licensed assisted living territory regardless of what a specific community calls its program. Several Cincinnati-area campuses let residents move between the two without changing addresses as needs increase over time.
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