When looking for an assisted living facility, Florida residents should assess factors such as cleanliness, safety and closeness to family and friends.
Another thing to examine is a facility’s license.
Available facility licenses
All ALFs in Florida providing one or more services to residents on a 24-hour basis should have a license, according to the Agency for Health Care Administration. ALFs may have a standard license that allows the facility to provide personal care to residents. There may be a single resident, or hundreds, and facilities design their services to meet particular needs of residents.
Some ALFs have specialty licenses that allow them to provide services that enable individuals to age in place. As residents need more services, these facilities have the ability to provide increasing health care and safety needs.
Trouble with unlicensed facilities
According to the Miami Herald, an investigation of unlicensed ALFs in Florida revealed that there were residents with dementia suffering from urinary tract infections, bedsores and other untreated health issues. A facility care giver allegedly falsified statements regarding the care that patients had received.
A hospital treated a woman who was reportedly a resident of one of the facilities. Hospital staff stated that the victim suffered from infected bedsores and malnutrition. She died while in the hospital.
If residents or family members suspect that an ALF is providing services that it does not have a license to offer, they should call the Agency hotline. Anyone who has evidence of neglect or abuse or circumstances that pose danger to a resident of an ALF should report this to law enforcement.
