Assisted living providers across the country have established standardized approaches to care and these approaches often result in improved lengths of stay among residents, more success at managing comorbidities and overall improvement in operations. Although there are barriers to implementing standardized care in assisted living, such as licensure regulations, there are also many success stories.

In a great article published in Senior Housing News, they explain that standardized care does not mean a cookie cutter approach but rather a unified program that defines best practices and drives quality outcomes. Not too different from care pathways for joint replacements, standardized care would guide each provider, giving insight into the special needs of residents based on diagnoses.

Yes, we want our assisted living centers to remain a haven for socialization, therapeutic activities, quality dining, and overall quality of life. We can’t lose the focus on these needs but also need to keep in mind that our demographics are changing. We no longer have many “pleasantly confused” grandmas coming to live in our communities. Many of us have clinical challenges, medication management issues, fall prevention needs, etc. At the end of the day, remember we are caring for people, but these people may have medical needs and standardized care may be the solution.

Stay well and stay tuned!