It’s been a rough few months for the assisted living sector as lay media reports put a spotlight on the varying — or a lack of — regulations covering operators, a situation they said has led to tragic outcomes for some residents.
Georgia assisted living operators are the latest to come under scrutiny.
In 2019, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a series of stories critical of assisted living and Georgia’s enforcement of state regulations. In the wake of that series, the state Legislature adopted a reform package that increased fines and requirements for assisted living operators in the state. A recent follow-up story, however, alleged persistent shortcomings and a seemingly “unhurried approach” in the state’s oversight of assisted living and personal care facilities.
Industry advocates say that it is unfair to paint all providers with one brush, but they acknowledge that the attention is a reminder that “good policies and procedures, routine staff training, and oversight to ensure staff are following the policies are vital for providing great care.”
This latest media spotlight on senior living providers follows the New York Times / KFF “Dying Broke” series in November about the cost of assisted living and the Washington Post’s “Memory Inc.” story package in December focusing on resident elopements at assisted living and memory care communities.
Telling assisted living’s story
In a message to members that was shared with McKnight’s Senior Living, LeadingAge Georgia President and CEO Ginny Helms said that the latest AJC article brought awareness to a serious problem in a large personal care home in Greensboro, GA, including the deaths of two residents and a sexual assault of another resident. But she added that she knows that member communities “demonstrate commitment to quality, person-centered care” daily, and she said she finds it unfortunate that those providers are “lumped in with communities cited for poor care.”
Helms shared several resources that members can use to create strong policies, including an upcoming webinar by the state’s quality improvement organization, Alliant Health Solutions, on an effective process for identifying the root causes of problems.
And although LeadingAge Georgia has met with legislators and consumer advocates about their desire to tighten legislation and regulations due to media stories about poor care in some settings, Helms encouraged operators to invite lawmakers into their communities to “see for themselves the great quality of care our members provide.”
“Legislators and aging advocates are really focused on ensuring great care for older adults. Our members provide great care,” Helms wrote. “It’s important that the legislators and aging advocates come to your communities and see for themselves what great care looks like so that we can help influence policy rather than be dealt overly burdensome legislation and regulations.”
Balancing safety with resident wants
Any instance of poor care, neglect, abuse or exploitation is “unacceptable,” according to the Georgia Center for Assisted Living, the state affiliate of the National Center for Assisted Living. But GCAL Communications Director Devon Barill told McKnight’s Senior Living that assisted living provides “life-affirming care for elderly Georgians every day, and residents and families are consistently satisfied with the care they receive.”
“We regularly hear from happy and satisfied residents and their loved ones regarding their enriching assisted living experiences, and the vast majority of caregivers that work in assisted living do so because they have a passion for serving seniors,” Barill said. “We recognize there is more work to be done, and we continue to evaluate how we can advance the care provided in all of Georgia’s long-term care settings and foster a workforce that is well-trained, dedicated and passionate about the sacred mission of caring for our elderly.”
Balancing safety and security with resident and family wants, GCAL said it has worked to enhance assisted living in Georgia through member participation in the American Health Care Association / NCAL National Quality Award program. The association said it also regularly updates policy recommendations, provides education opportunities and has supported past state policies on developing administrator licensure and implementing criminal background checks for workers.
