Lakeland Senior AdvisorWhat are the admission criteria for a Florida assisted living facility?
Rule 59A-36.006 requires a resident of a standard, LNS or LMH facility to be at least 18, free of a communicable disease likely to be transmitted, able to do daily activities with help if needed, able to transfer with assistance, able to take medication by self-administration, assistance or administration, not a danger to self or others, not bedridden and not in need of 24-hour nursing supervision.
The administrator must also conclude, from an assessment, the medical examination required by s. 429.26 and the uniform fire-safety standards, that the building can meet the person's needs. Needing two people to help with a transfer does not disqualify anyone.
Which medical needs rule out a standard Florida ALF?
Residents of standard, LNS or LMH facilities may not need artificial airway management (CPAP and BiPAP are allowed), tube-feeding assistance, blood gas monitoring, post-surgical drains or wound vacuums, blood products or care of unstabilized surgical wounds, and standard and LMH facilities cannot provide dialysis or IV therapy on site.
A stage 3 or 4 pressure sore bars admission. A stage 2 sore is acceptable when a home health agency or nurse treats it, or the facility's own nurses under an LNS license, and it heals within 30 days. Portable oxygen and routine colostomy care are permitted in a standard facility that employs or contracts with a nurse.
Can a resident on hospice remain in a Florida ALF?
Yes: s. 429.26(1)(c) allows an ALF to admit or retain a resident receiving licensed hospice care, even one who becomes bedridden, when the facility and resident agree, the hospice supplies the added care and the physician agrees the resident's needs can be met there.
A written plan of care must show how the facility and the hospice will cover both scheduled and unscheduled needs. In Polk County this is how many families avoid a last-weeks move from a Lakeland or Winter Haven ALF into a nursing home.
When does Florida law require a resident to move out?
A resident must be relocated once he or she no longer meets the facility's admission and continued-residency criteria, and except in emergencies the facility must give at least 45 days' written notice, stating the reasons and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program's toll-free number, 1-888-831-0404.
Shorter notice is allowed only for a physician-certified emergency transfer to a higher level of care or when the resident's conduct harms other residents (s. 429.28(1)(k)). ECC facilities apply their own continued-residency criteria within AHCA's guidelines, which is the main reason to look for one when needs are likely to grow.
How can we tell whether a particular ALF can take our parent?
Ask for the admission policy in writing, bring the physician's examination (AHCA Form 1823 is the standard form), and have the administrator say which of your parent's needs the license covers and which would require an outside agency or eventually a move.
AHCA's records show 43 licensed assisted living facilities in Polk County, ranging from 4 to 224 beds; 18 have Lakeland addresses and 13 Winter Haven addresses, and 10 hold LMH, 8 LNS and 1 ECC licenses.
Side by side
| A standard Florida ALF may | A standard Florida ALF may not | |
|---|---|---|
| Transfers | Accept a resident who needs one or two helpers to transfer | Keep a bedridden resident who is not on hospice |
| Medication | Have a licensed nurse administer medications | Provide IV therapy or dialysis in the building |
| Discharge | End residency with 45 days' written notice and reasons | Remove a resident without written notice |
Built from Chapters 408, 429 and 651, Florida Statutes; Florida Administrative Code chapters 59A-36 and 65A-2; AHCA, DCF, OIR and Department of Elder Affairs publications; and the CareScout and VA rate tables cited on this page. Our editorial standards explain how each figure is checked.
