The regulation of assisted living facilities in the U.S. differs from state to state. The Assisted Living Federation of America or the ALFA is the biggest national association fully dedicated to professionally manage the senior living communities in every state and the seniors and families they assist. It is the job of the ALFA to educate assisted living communities about the regulations and licensing requirements mandated by the state where they are located. They do some monitoring of each assisted living facilities and make sure that they submit the requirements needed for licensing and that the services they offer are high quality.
As mentioned above, the regulations differ from state to state, so it is highly recommended to review the regulation created by your state for assisted living facilities in your area before choosing. It will guide you in your decision by knowing if the facility is following the regulations or not. The ALFA updates their records about the assisted living facilities they had monitored. They also look at the laws and regulations, significant legislation and the proposed regulations by a specific state. They will also get the basic information such as: elder abuse reporting contacts, important news by the state and information about the local government.
When there is an alteration to the state legislation or the state regulation, it will be posted by ALFA online to inform the seniors and their family. It is necessary because a certain regulation might have a direct or indirect effect on the type and quality of service a certain facility will offer. The regulations on the assisted living facilities will help maintain the quality of the services they offer and will ensure that the elderlies are properly taken care of inside the facility.