Should I move my Dad into assisted living or should I bypass that and go straight into a nursing home?

As you know, Alzheimer's is progressive. How long do you think your dad would be able to stay in an assisted living facility before it becomes apparent that he needs a nursing home? If you want to move him into assisted living in order to postpone the nursing home think carefully before you move him in. Moving is very difficult for people with dementia and if his time in an assisted living facility is only temporary because of the progression of the disease it might be best to move him into a nursing home now so he won't have to move again in 6 months.

JTroutner, we would need a lot more information before we could answer that question. If he is still able to do most things, AL would probably be best. A NH would be a good choice if he is severely impaired or if he needs Medicaid to pay for upkeep. Many AL facilities won't take Medicaid.