A 2010 outbreak of Hepatitis B killed six assisted living residents at Glen Care Mount Olive, a North Carolina assisted living facility.  State public health officials say that the deaths were caused by poorly trained staff and unsafe diabetes care.  The health officials found that infection was transmitted via reuse of glucometers and other devices.

The incidents raised concern over the medication aides who can administer medications to residents of assisted living facilities.  In nursing homes, only a nurse is allowed to administer medication. However, as assisted living facilities in North Carolina are not structured or regulated as health facilities, they are bound to lesser guidelines.  Hence, a majority of the staff do not have a degree in health care and are not trained to properly deal with issues such as infection or proper insulin injection.

A relevant article from North Carolina’s News and Observer is located at: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/12/26/881880/diabetes-care-raises-alarm.html#.