One of the ways Senior Living Specialists is able to help families is to share with them data that might not be easily found by most Google searches. It can be the resident to staff ratio or information about available skilled nurses at a senior community.
It can also be information around which assisted living facilities had the most cited violations. We don’t like to think about citations in an assisted living facility (ALF) because we relate that to poor care. It is important to utilize the services of Senior Living Specialists to know about these violations and which communities were the biggest violators.
As a caregiver, we thought it would be helpful to give you the list of the most cited violations that ALFs committed in the state of Texas. We utilized a report from the Texas Health and Human Services as the basis for data.
#1 Most Cited Violation: Infection Control Policies and Procedures
Covid-19 is one of the main drivers for the need of having a infection control policy to avoid the spread of disease. ALFs are required to have an updated policy around infectious diseases but this violation can also occur if a violation is viewed. An example of this might be an assisted living professional distributing medicine with their bare hands to residents.
#2 and #4 Most Cited Violation: Sprinkler Systems
This violation can also range from an ALF simply being unable to show that they have had the sprinkler system inspected and tested. It can also be a cited violation for standards around the sprinkler system setup like exposed sprinkler piping in multiple locations. It is good to ask the administrators of an ALF how often they conduct testing around their sprinkler system to ensure they are prepared for a fire.
#3 and #5 Most Cited Violation: Fire Drill Operations
This goes right in hand with #2 but relates to the facility conducting fire drills to make sure staff know what to do in case of a fire emergency. It should also be noted that an ALF could be cited for this if they simply were unable to show through documentation that they had conducted a fire drill. The code also calls for the ALF to test their morning staff rotation along with their evening staff rotation so all employees know what to do in case of a fire drill along with residents.
#6 Most Cited Violation: Smoke Detector Checks
This violation can be tricky as ALFs are not required to check smoke detectors and their sensitivity every year. This is an alternate year requirement that means ALFs have to provide documentation that they tested all smoke detectors every other year.
#7: Resident Service Plan
One of the most relevant violations as a caregiver you should be aware of. Texas requires that a facility works with their residents (or their caregiver) to establish a resident’s desired health care decision plan. These plans are required to be updated annually and are subject to being updated if a resident’s health condition dramatically changes before the end of that year. Violations can include not updating the plan or simply forgetting to get a resident’s signature when creating the plan. If your loved one is in an assisted living facility or has suffered a major health setback while residing in one, make sure you get their service plan updated.
Texas has a lot of great options when it comes to senior living and assisted living care. We aim to educate and provide resources to caregivers so they have all tools at their disposal when making decisions around the care of their aging loved one. Contact Senior Living Specialists and we can explain violations like these and which assisted living community would make the best choice for your loved one.