A. General.
As home-like an atmosphere as possible shall be provided. Restrictive rules shall be kept to a minimum. While some rules are necessary for group living to maintain a balance between individual wishes and group welfare, they shall not infringe upon a resident’s civil rights of self-determination, the privacy of a person or thought, and personal dignity.
B. Director Qualifications
1. The Director of a Personal Care Home shall meet one of the following criteria upon the date of hire:
a. have at least two (2) years of college training plus one (1) year of experience in the fields of health, social services, geriatrics, management
or administration; or
b. in lieu of two (2) years of college training, three (3) years of experience in health, social services, geriatrics, management, administration or a
combination of undergraduate education and experience for a total of three (3) years; or
c. a Bachelor’s degree in geriatrics, social services, nursing, health care administration or related field.
2. Documentation of Director qualifications shall be on file.
C. Staffing
1. A home shall have staff sufficient in number and qualifications on duty at all times to meet the needs of the residents.
2. Additional day and/or night-time staff may be required as deemed necessary by the Bureau and/or Office of State Fire Marshal depending upon the location of the
the facility, the response time of emergency agencies, the availability of other staff, and the number and condition of residents.
D. House Rules. Each home shall have house rules pertaining to the following rights of residents:
1. the reasonable use of tobacco and alcohol;
2. the times and frequency of use of the public or communal telephone;
3. visitors;
4. hours and volume for viewing and listening to television, radio, and other media;
5. movement of residents in and out of the home;
6. use of personal property; and,
7. care of pets.
E. Employment
1. Each resident may voluntarily perform work or services for the home but not serve as unpaid staff for the required staffing.
2. A home shall assign as unpaid work for residents only housekeeping tasks similar
to those performed in a normal home.
3. Each resident shall have the right to refuse to perform services for the home except as contracted for by the resident and the Provider or as provided in the
service care plan.
F. Religion. A home shall have a written description of its religious orientation, particular religious practices that are observed, and any religious restrictions on admission.
G. Food Service
1. A home shall ensure that a resident is provided at least three meals or their equivalent daily at regular times with not more than fourteen (14) hours between
the evening meal and breakfast of the following day. Mealtime shall be comparable to those in a normal home.
2. When meals are provided to staff, a home shall ensure that staff members eat
substantially the same food served to residents in care.
H. Sleeping Accommodations
1. A home shall ensure that each single occupancy bedroom space has a floor area of at least one hundred (100) net square feet and that each multiple-occupancy
bedroom space has a floor area of at least seventy (70) net square feet for each resident. There shall be no more than two (2) residents per bedroom.
2. A home shall not use a room with a ceiling height of fewer than seven feet six inches as a bedroom, unless, in a room with varying ceiling heights, the portions
of the room where the ceiling is at least seven feet six inches allow a usable floor space as required by this section.
3. A home shall not use any room which does not have a window opening to the outside as a bedroom. Skylights shall not substitute for a window.
4. Each resident in care of the home shall have his/her own bed. A double bed shall be provided for a married couple if requested. Cots, bunk beds or portable beds
are not allowed.
5. A home shall ensure that sheets, pillows and pillowcases, bedspreads, and blankets are provided for each resident, as needed.
a. Enuretic residents shall have mattresses with moisture resistance covers.
b. Sheets and pillowcases shall be changed and laundered at least weekly and more often if needed.
6. Each resident shall be provided with individual space, in the bedroom, for personal possessions or clothing such as dressers, chest of drawers, etc.
7. Residents shall be allowed to decorate their own bedrooms with pictures, etc. as
they wish.
8. Each bedroom shall have a closet that opens directly into the room and be of sufficient size to serve the occupant(s) of the bedroom. If the bedroom does not
have a closet opening into the room, there shall be a moveable closet or armoire available in the bedroom. If a moveable closet or armoire is used, this space shall
not be counted in the net floor space.
I. Bathrooms
1. There shall be adequate toilet, bathing, and handwashing facilities in accordance
with the current edition of the State Sanitary Code.
2. Each bathroom shall contain washbasins with hot and cold water, flush toilets and bath or shower facilities with hot and cold water according to resident care
needs.
3. Bathrooms shall be located so that they open into a hallway, common area, or directly into the bedroom. If the bathroom opens directly into a bedroom, it shall
be for the use of the occupants of that bedroom only.
4. Each bathroom shall be properly equipped with toilet paper, towels, soap and other items required for personal hygiene unless residents are individually given
such items.
5. Tubs and showers shall have slip-proof surfaces.
6. A home shall provide toilets, baths and showers which allow for individual privacy unless residents in care require assistance.
7. A home’s bathrooms shall contain mirrors secured to the walls at convenient heights and other furnishings necessary to meet the resident’s basic hygienic and grooming needs.
8. A home’s bathrooms shall be equipped to facilitate maximum self-help by residents. Grab bars are to be provided in bathrooms if needed by any resident in
care.
9. Toilets, washbasin, and other plumbing or sanitary facilities in a home shall at all times, be maintained in good operating condition and shall be kept free of any
material that might clog or otherwise impair their operation.
J. Staff Quarters.
A home utilizing live-in staff shall provide adequate, separate living space with a private bathroom for these staff. This private bathroom is not to be counted as available to residents in care.
K. Administrative and Counseling Space
1. A home shall provide a space that is distinct from the resident’s living areas to serve as an administrative office for records, secretarial work, and bookkeeping.
2. A home shall have a designated space to allow private discussions and/or counseling sessions between individual residents and staff or others.
L. Determination of Licensed Capacity.
The following criteria shall be followed in determining the licensed capacity of personal care home:
1. each bedroom with at least 100 net square feet shall be counted as one (1) in determining capacity;
2. each bedroom with at least 140 net square feet shall be counted as two (2) in determining capacity. There shall be no more than two (2) residents in each bedroom;
3. there shall also be at least sixty (60) net square feet of common space for the licensed capacity. (Example: 60 X total licensed capacity equals required common
space or the net square feet of common space divided by 60 equals total licensed capacity.)