Delano-Need for Adequate Staffing Levels in Assisted Living

The Need for High Staffing Levels in Assisted Living Facilities

There are 14 assisted living facilities located near the City of Delano. The Los Angeles Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Ben Yeroushalmi believes that older adults under the care of Delano assisted living staff should be given high quality of care at all times. Unfortunately, many assisted living facilities cannot ensure that consistent, high quality care is provided due to their low staffing levels and/or staff not being properly trained. Not only does this jeopardize the health and wellbeing of their elderly residents, it also increases the risk of hospitalization and poor health outcomes.

In recent years, assisted living facilities, also known as residential care facilities, have become an increasingly popular alternative to skilled nursing facilities for many older adults. This is due to a variety of factors, including lower costs and an affinity for a more home-like setting. Assisted living also aims to promote independence and autonomy as much as possible, which is an important part of maintaining quality of life. Nevertheless, older adult residents in assisted living are still highly vulnerable to increased risk of mortality, hospitalization, transfer to a skilled nursing facility, and incident morbidity.

Assisted living residents, on average, have a greater degree of functional and cognitive ability and not as many medical needs as nursing home residents. However, there is still a high prevalence of residents with dementia, chronic illness, and impaired ability to perform activities of daily living. The need for healthcare services, such as management and monitoring of medication, is also high among this older adult population. Moreover, aging in place and care provided in a noninstitutional setting is a popular preference among older adult residents and their families. This suggests that a substantial increase in the call for personal and nursing care needs of assisted living residents will continue. Elder abuse attorney Ben Yeroushalmi believes that it is therefore crucial that assisted living facility staff provide high quality care to their elderly residents.

Not surprisingly, substantial evidence has shown that both greater staffing levels (especially higher levels of registered nurse staff) and total time spent giving resident care are positively related to an assortment of process and health outcome indicators of quality of care. This includes physical restraint and antipsychotic medication use. Additionally, high staffing levels positively related to health outcomes, such as pressure ulcer and urinary tract infection rates. One recent study found that long-term care facilities with greater registered nurse skill mix significantly increased the rate of better health outcomes (in regards to pressure sores and cognitive functioning) and improved processes of care delivery (such as a decreased use of restraints). Another study found that nursing staff that was highly trained, as well as an increase in direct care time, was related to enhanced resident assessment, supervision, and care planning. The results also showed an association with more efficient communication between nurses and physicians and more multidisciplinary team discussions related to high quality of care.

These studies clearly indicate that long-term care facilities like assisted living facilities need to maintain high staffing levels, as well as more adequately trained nursing staff in order to sufficiently meet the care needs of their residents. If you or someone you love received inadequate care that resulted in abuse or neglect while being a resident at an assisted living facility, contact the elder abuse attorney Ben Yeroushalmi today for a free consultation. Mr. Yeroushalmi and his team of associate attorneys and elder law experts are experienced and passionate advocates for victims of elder abuse and neglect.