Alternatives to residential support and care for older Americans have emerged in recent years with the dramatic growth of Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs). However, little is known about the management of these facilities.
This paper reports on a study of a sample of ALFs located in a three county area of a large mid-Atlantic state. The study's purpose was to identify key operating characteristics of ALFs and management practices in the following domains: background/experience of the administrators, staffing patterns, continuing education of administrators/staff, evaluation of quality of care, and administrator concerns. Twenty facilities were identified from a listing of all licensed facilities published by the state social services agency, and administrators were contacted to schedule a personal interview using a structured questionnaire. All facilities agreed to participate in the study.
Findings indicate significant variation in the training and experience of administrators. Staffing patterns indicate that 20% of facilities do not having an RN or LPN available during the day shift. All facilities report providing continuing education, however, this varies from once a month inservice training in-house to formal conferences. Methods used to evaluate quality in these facilities include informal methods, such as reactions of residents and family feedback, and the number of reported complaints, as well as more formal methods using satisfaction surveys and use of assessment instruments.
Concerns of administrators are identified, as are implications for the future management of ALFs based on these findings.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to: 1) Identify current management practices in Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs). 2) Recognize and discuss implications for future management of ALFs and care of residents based on findings
Keywords: Management, Residential Choice
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.