A report on assisted living communities in the state of Texas found areas for improvement, but overall, residents said they were satisfied with the quality of their communities, including their ability to maintain their independence and rights as residents and the efforts of their communities to protect their lives. mental and physical health.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission recently released the results of a large survey of assisted living communities, residents and long-term care ombudsmen. The study was mandated by the state legislature in 2021 to evaluate the quality of life and care of residents in at least 30% of the Lone Star State’s 1,884 assisted living communities.
In 2022, the Center for Excellence in Senior Services and Long-Term Care at the University of Texas at Austin conducted on-site reviews of resident care and interviewed residents, staff members, and care ombudsmen. long-term in 517 communities, as well as evaluated provider policies. preventable events and adverse outcomes.
Most residents rated their health as good or excellent (77.6%) and said their health had improved (37.9%) or had not changed (41%) since moving to their communities. The majority of respondents (87.3%) also reported being satisfied with their care, with care in rural communities being slightly higher (90.3%) than satisfaction in urban communities (86.1%).
Satisfaction with quality of life in assisted living communities in the state was also high, at 90.7%. Researchers reported a “strong correlation” between residents’ satisfaction with health care services and satisfaction with the overall experience in an assisted living community. Additionally, 95.4% said they felt safe in their community.
The Texas Assisted Living Association said it “couldn’t be happier” with the results.
“This report by the state is a great confirmation of what we have been hearing from residents and families for a long time,” TALA President and CEO Diana Martinez told McKnight’s Senior Living. “Assisted living communities provide care, entertainment, socialization and security to enjoy life.”
The study also noted that the majority of residents in the communities surveyed did not have dementia (72.7%) or other cognitive impairment (77.2%), and the majority of participants (72.7%) said they did not have depression or anxiety (71.6%).
Community staff members reported that the majority of residents (93.8%) are assessed for fall risk upon admission. Walking ability was noted as the most common reason (83%) for resident falls, and most staff members (99.2%) are trained in resident falls upon hire, according to the authors of the study. study. Over a 30-day period, the report noted that the majority of residents had not fallen (89.7%) in that time.
Room for improvement
In addition to the surveys, the researchers reported conducting extensive research on policies and procedures at 23 assisted living communities. They noted that not all communities provided written policies in all areas, but found concerns related to the mental, physical, or psychosocial well-being of residents.
The researchers pointed to areas for improvement, including medication errors, inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications, falls, placement of residents with dementia in locked units, and healthcare-acquired infections.
Nearly half of communities (45.3%) reported that they had identified residents appropriate for dose reduction of antipsychotic medication, but only 37.7% said they had initiated dose reductions for residents. who could benefit from it.
The report says additional research is needed to make specific recommendations for fall prevention, placement of residents with dementia in safety-locked units, appropriate antibiotic use and infection rates in assisted living communities.
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