Care managers charged with overseeing assisted living communities already face enough challenges when it comes to accommodating a growing number of elderly individuals with varying physical and mental limitations. However, as the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) noted in a recent piece, many of these professionals must also contend with obstructive regulations put in place by the state government.
Registered nurse Josh Allen, chair of the American Assisted Living Nurses Association, went on record with the ALFA about the issue of government oversight in this industry. In California, for example, Allen explained that older individuals with specific medical ailments are essentially banned from taking up residence in these communities, regardless of how well-equipped these facilities are to address the issue.
“As healthcare is increasingly delivered in community settings like traditional homes or assisted living residences, the idea that having a certain medical condition means you’re automatically ineligible – even if there’s a good plan of care in place – is certainly not keeping up with consumer demand,” Allen remarked.
While some degree of oversight is important to ensure that communities that cater to the elderly population are held to a high standard, issues arise when state policies actively interfere with how experienced care managers run their facilities. However, given that the Baby Boomer generation is passing retirement age, it’s clear that government entities and assisted living communities will have to find common ground to meet the needs of this expansive population.
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