Congregate living provides inpatient care, including the following basic services: medical supervision, 24-hour skilled nursing and supportive care, pharmacy, dietary, social, recreational, and at least one type of the following services: services for persons who are mentally alert, physically disabled persons, who may be ventilator dependent; services for persons who have a diagnosis of terminal illness, a diagnosis of a life threatening illness, or both; services for persons who are catastrophically and severely disabled.

The primary need of congregate living health facility residents shall be for availability of skilled nursing care on a recurring, intermittent, extended, or continuous basis. This care is generally less intense than that provided in general acute care hospitals but more intense than that provided in skilled nursing facilities.