What is it called?

• Assisted Living Facilities

What services are provided?

• Housing
• Supportive Services
• Personalized Assistance
• Health Care
• Help with activities of daily living
• Limited medication assistance

Who can be admitted?

• People who need help with daily activities
• People who need intermittent nursing care for a limited time
• Residents who contract with a home health agency or hospice service to cover their nursing needs

Who is inappropriate?

• Must be refused admission
• Adults who need care by a nurse that is more than intermittent or for more than a limited period of time
• Adults who require skilled monitoring, testing, aggressive medication, or any other treatments where it is necessary for a registered nurse to provide care
• Adults with stage 3 or 4 skin ulcers
• Adults who require a ventilator
• Adults who have and unstable tracheotomy or a stable tracheotomy of less than six months
• Adults who require treatment for a condition that requires more than contact isolation
• Adults who have an unstable PEG tube
• Adults who require and intravenous or central lines
• Can be evicted
• Residents who are ineligible according to the admissions guidelines (see above)
• Residents who wander enough that the facility could not provide adequate supervision or security
• Residents who the facility deem as being socially inappropriate
• The facility must document that they attempted to deal with these residents for 60 days before they are discharged
• Residents who are bedridden for more than 14 days
• Residents who show behavior that is considered a threat to the health and safety of themselves and others
• Residents who require more than intermittent nursing care for an extended period of time
• Exceptions to eviction
• These provisions do not control the admission and discharge of patients being cared for by state licensed hospice programs as long as such care is sufficient and does not endanger other residents
• For current residents, a facility can request that the state waive a limitation to allow for the continued stay of a resident, as long as they condition is expected to improve within 90 days

What training is required for direct care staff?

• Initial Training
• Training on topics pertaining to care in assisted living facilities
• Continuing Education
• Resident Assistants must receive at least 12 hours of in-service education each year

Is nurse staffing required?

• Each facility must have a Director of Nursing who is a Registered Nurse
• Facilities licensed for 25 or more beds must have a full time Director of Nursing
• Facilities lincensed for 5 to 24 beds must have a part-time Director of Nursing on site and on duty at least 20 hours a week
• Facilities licensed for 4 or fewer beds must have a Director of Nursing on site at least 8 hours a week

Is there any public payment available?

• Yes.  The Medicaid program may pay for assisted living services through a Home and Community Based Services Waiver.

For More Information See:

Delaware Long Term Care Ombudsman

1-800-223-9074

www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dsaapd/ltcop.html

Department of Health and Social Services

Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD)
1-800-223-9074

www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/

www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dsaapd/assistliv.html