Senior housing regulations upping the ante

Looking for a retirement home? Maybe you should also be looking for the label "assisted living."

Beginning this month, only retirement communities that follow strict regulations and meet certain standards will be allowed to use the term to describe themselves.

In Summerlin, Las Ventanas, 10401 W. Charleston Blvd., is one place that qualifies.

Adelina Jordan, 93, is a resident there. She and her 71-year-old daughter moved into a two-bedroom unit at Las Ventanas two years ago. Jordan called living there a happy, positive experience, "like one big family."

In May last year, Jordan's health caused her to transition to Las Ventanas' assisted living section.

"When the time came that I needed more services, that was the idea all along; it was just moving within the same building, under the same roof," she said.

Whether a retirement community is up to standard has long been a concern for the public, said Warren Esselstrom, community relations director for Las Ventanas.

"Going to 'The Home,' " he said. "That's the perception: a ward with linoleum and smells. But that is not the case today. Now it's carpeting and private suites and 24/7 care to keep the resident as independent as possible."

The Nevada Department of Health Care Quality and Compliance regulation falls under the auspices of the state Bureau of Licensure. It went into effect in June last year, but retirement facilities had until this month to bring their standards in line or be forced to drop the label in their listings, advertising and promotions.

The main directive of the regulation requires that a medical professional -- a registered nurse or higher -- be retained to oversee each resident's case. The RN may not always be on site, but he will remotely monitor and assess the resident every 90 days, more often should the resident have a significant change, such as being admitted to a hospital.

The 90-day period is not a set calendar date but determined by the date the resident was admitted to an assisted living community.

Some services that fall under the "assisted living" requirements include: intramuscular, subcutaneous and intradermal injections by licensed staff; care of indwelling catheters; oxygen monitoring; wound care; assistance with colostomy; and ileostomy care. Potential residents or family should ask if there is an assisted living endorsement, if there is a registered nurse on the premises and to what degree of advanced care they can provide.

Chris Mash, community manager for Carefree Senior Living, 3250 S. Town Center Drive, said her facility is only for those 55 or older who can live independently.

"We refer people to an assisted living place when they can no longer care for themselves," she said.

She said the company has leasing agents who work with families and refer to a number of different places. Carefree refers residents to assisted living facilities about once every four to five months, she said.

"Usually, it's after they've been to the hospital," Mash said.

To learn which communities qualify as "assisted living" facilities, visit health.nv.gov/hcqc.htm and select the locator icon.

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.