Assisted Living Center vs. Nursing Home Regulations

One of the many differences that most individuals do not know about assisted living centers versus nursing homes is the rules and regulations that apply to both types of facilities. In fact, most individuals commonly use “assisted living” and “nursing home care” interchangeably and therefore they believe that they are the same thing. However, this, in fact, is not the case.

One of the differences in regulations of both nursing homes and assisted living centers is in the facility itself. There is no regulation for the structure of assisted living centers as long as the structure is fully intact and does not pose any hazards for residents. It is possible in the state of Arizona to purchase a residential home and obtain a license for assisted living without proper training or medical equipment. In addition, there are not many regulations in the care that is required of assisted living staff as opposed to nursing home staff.

Nursing home staff members are required to maintain almost constant care for individuals in the facilities. They must have the proper medical training in order to be able to administer medications and care for the individuals other health needs. In contrast, in an assisted living center, medical training may not always be required. In most cases, there is usually no certified nurse or nursing assistants in assisted living centers. It is possible for staff members to not be qualified to assist residents in an assisted living center with medical needs.

Assisted Living Center workers should also be trained to physically handle patients. This includes such actions as assisting them in and out of beds or chairs or assuring their physical comfort. This is absolutely necessary to ensure that elderly individuals do not suffer some sort of physical injury if they are trying to do things for themselves that they are physically incapable of doing.

These types of settings and environments could potentially put your loved ones in danger of negligence or abuse if they do not receive the care that they need. Even though individuals in an assisted living center can maintain some of their daily activities on their own, they still may require some assistance that staff members may not be qualified to give them.

An Arizona Nursing Home Advocacy Attorney can assist you in getting compensation if your loved one is put in a situation where they may suffer some sort of negligence as a result of the regulations that apply to assisted living centers. These attorneys are well aware of the regulations and know what sort of care assisted living staff should be able to provide to your loved one.

Contact an Arizona Nursing Home Lawyer

There are many ways to ensure a staff member in an Arizona Assisted Living Center does not misuse any kind of dangerous medication.  Making sure your loved one is receiving a high level of a care is important.  An Arizona Attorney can assist you in getting compensation of your loved one is not being properly cared for in an assisted living center. For more information or to speak with an Arizona Nursing Home Lawyer, visit www.nursinghomeadvocates.com.