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Assisted Living
Report is Just A Beginning, Says Sen. Craig
April 29,
2003 - At a hearing today regarding assisted living facilities, the
Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging called a 381
page "Final Report" on the industry a valuable first step, but only a
beginning.
The second
step, Senator Larry Craig said, will be for interested people to
review the document and see how the recommendations could help state
governments deal with this new and growing industry. The report is
available on the Internet at
http://alworkgroup.org
"I feel
much more needs to be done. This report does not provide a uniform set
of model rules and regulations for health care services in assisted
living. However, it demonstrates the diversity of opinion on what
needs to be done to make the industry safer," Craig said.
There are
now over 30,000 assisted living facilities nationwide, which house
nearly one million people. Those facilities, which offer a
transitional phase between living at home and living in a nursing
home, are regulated by state governments, with no federal mandates.
In 2001
the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing to gain a
better understanding of the emerging assisted living industry, and the
report received today came about as a result of that hearing.
The
document was produced by the Assisted Living Workgroup whose
membership included nearly 50 organizations representing industry
representatives, consumer advocates, long term care professionals, as
well as regulators and accrediting bodies.
"Rather
than Congress jumping in with a mandate, this time we asked those with
opposing viewpoints to examine these issues and see what agreements
they could reach. This group took on a tough job, meeting for
eighteen months to hammer out an extensive report," Craig said. "When
I asked our witnesses what was left out, they all agreed that it
covers nearly every base."
The
Workgroup developed 110 recommendations which were agreed to, and 21
additional recommendations they did not agree to, all of which are
included in the report. Those recommendations include everything from
pricing to staffing levels to medication management.
"Hopefully
this report will cause the various states to see what recommendations
they may want to implement to improve the health and safety of the
facilities in their communities. When our committee revues this issue
again, it will look at the improvements that have taken place because
of this report," Craig concluded.
Witnesses
included:
Stephen McConnell,
Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy with the Alzheimer's
Association - A consumer advocate member of the Assisted Living
Working Group.
Dan Madsen,
President and CEO of Leisure Care, Inc., a member of the American
Seniors Housing Association - An industry representative and member of
the Assisted Living Working Group.
Bob Mollica,
Senior Staff Member, National Academy for State Health Policy - He
will provide an outsider's review of the report.
Organizations who
participated in developing the Assisted Living Working Group report
are:
1. AARP
2. Alzheimer's Association
3. American Academy of Home Care Physicians
4. American Assisted Living Nurses Association
5. American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
6. American Association of Service Coordinators
7. American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging
8. American College of Health Care Administrators
9. American Geriatrics Society
10. American Gerontological Society
11. America Institute of Architects
12. American Medical Directors Association
13. American Occupational Therapy Association
14. American Physical Therapy Association
15. American Seniors Housing Association
16. American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
17. Assisted Living Federation of America
18. Association of Health Facility Survey Agencies
19. Catholic Health Association of the United States
20. Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
21. Consultant Dietitians in Healthcare Facilities
22. Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living
23. Continuing Care Accreditation Commission
24. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
25. National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
26. National Adult Family Care Organization
27. National Association for Continence
28. National Association for Home Care
29. National Association of Activity Professionals
30. National Association of Local Long-Term Care Ombudsmen
31. National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers
32. National Association of Regulatory Administration
33. National Association of Social Workers
34. National Association of State Ombudsman Programs
35. National Association of State Units on Aging
36. National Center for Assisted Living
37. National Citizen's Coalition on Nursing Home Reform
38. National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
39. National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
40. National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners
41. National Council on Aging
42. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
43. National Multiple Sclerosis Society
44. National Network of Career Nursing Assistants, Pioneer Network
45. National Senior Citizen's Law Center
46. NCB Development Corporation: The Coming Home Project
47. Paralyzed Veterans of America
48. Pioneer Network
49. United Cerebral Palsy Association
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