A recent article states that an assisted living facility (ALF) in New York is now facing several wrongful death lawsuits after operating for several years without a license.  One of the plaintiffs is the estate of a judge.

When choosing an ALF, asking specific questions about expected care is important.  Just trusting a facility to accept only those people they can care for is insufficient.  Although they are not regulated as closely as skilled nursing homes, ALFs can accept residents requiring nursing home level of care.  The level of care ALFs can deliver may vary widely within the same county and may be significantly lacking.

Just trusting a doctor is probably insufficient as well.  A doctor that signs off on an admission generally knows little to anything about a particular facility.  The doctor will not meet staff or participate in the plan of care.  Doctors typically trust the facility to accept only who they can care for – many times incorrectly.

In short, proper research is necessary.  Talk to the doctor about specific needs of the resident (like fall prevention measures, mobility, and physical therapy) and question the ALF to be sure they can deliver the care.

To read the article, click here.