Longterm Care Consumer Protection And Qualityofcare Issues In Assisted Living Report To The Honorable Ron Wyden Us Senate

Author : United States. General Accounting Office
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 37 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (64 download)

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Download or read book Long-term Care written by United States. General Accounting Office and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 37 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Several federal agencies have jurisdiction over consumer protection and quality of care in assisted living facilities. However, states have the primary responsibility for developing standards and monitoring care. State approaches to oversight vary: some states regulate these facilities under standards developed for the board and care industry, others have developed standards and licensing requirements specifically for assisted living facilities, and some are in the process of developing them. But little is known about the effectiveness of these state approaches or about the extent of problems that assisted living residents may be experiencing. Moreover, concerns have been raised that the rapid growth in the assisted living industry may be outpacing many states' ability to monitor and regulate care. According to some experts, consumers can find themselves in a facility unable to meet their needs. To determine whether an assisted living facility is appropriate for them, prospective residents rely on information supplied by the facility, including contracts that set forth residents' rights and provider responsibilities. However, one recent study found that contracts varied in detail and, in some cases, were vague and confusing. Overall, little is known about the accuracy and adequacy of information furnished to individuals and their families who are considering assisted living. GAO believes that further research may be needed on these consumer protection and quality-of-care issues.