4-006.13 Environmental Services: An assisted-living facility must provide a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, allowing residents to use personal belongings to the extent possible. Every detached building on the same premises used for care and treatment must comply with these regulations.

 

4-006.13A Housekeeping and Maintenance: The assisted-living facility must provide the necessary housekeeping and maintenance to protect the health and safety of residents.

 

4-006.13A1 The facility’s buildings and grounds must be kept clean, safe and in good repair.

 

4-006.13A2 The facility must take into account resident habits and lifestyle preferences when housekeeping services are provided in the resident bedrooms/living area.

 

4-006.13A3 All garbage and rubbish must be disposed of in such a manner as to prevent the attraction of rodents, flies, and all other insects and vermin. Garbage must be disposed in such a manner as to minimize the transmission of infectious diseases and minimize odor.

 

4-006.13A4 The facility must maintain adequate lighting, environmental temperatures and sound levels in all areas that are conducive to the care provided.

 

4-006.13A5 The facility must maintain and equip the premises to prevent the entrance, harborage, or breeding of rodents, flies, and all other insects and vermin.

 

4-006.13B Equipment, Fixtures, Furnishings: The assisted-living  facility  must provide and maintain all facility owned equipment, fixtures, and furnishings clean, safe and in good repair.

 

4-006.13B1 Any specialized assistive devices or equipment needed to meet resident needs must be provided as specified in each resident service agreement.

 

4-006.13B2 Common areas and resident sleeping areas must be furnished with beds, chairs, sofas, tables, and storage items that are comfortable and reflective of resident needs and preferences. Furnishings may be provided  by either the resident or the facility.

 

4-006.13B3 A process must be established and implemented for routine and preventative maintenance of facility-owned equipment and furnishings to ensure that such equipment and furnishings are safe and function to meet the intended use.

 

4-006.13C  Laundry Services:  Bed and bath linens must be provided as specified in the resident service agreement by either the resident or the facility. The resident service agreement must also address if the facility or the resident will be responsible for laundering of resident personal items.

 

4-006.13C1    When bed and bath linens are provided by the facility, the facility must maintain an adequate supply of clean linens in good repair.

 

4-006.13C2    The facility must establish and implement procedures for the storage and handling of soiled and clean linens.

 

4-006.13C3 When the facility launders bed and bath linens and items for more than one resident together, water temperatures to laundry equipment must exceed 140 degrees Fahrenheit or the laundry may be appropriately sanitized or disinfected by another acceptable method in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

 

4-006.13D Pets: The assisted-living facility must assure any facility owned pet  does not negatively affect residents. The assisted-living facility must have policies and procedures regarding pets that include:

  1. An annual examination by a licensed veterinarian;
  2. Vaccinations as recommended by the licensed veterinarian that include, at a minimum, current vaccination for rabies for dogs, cats and ferrets;
  3. Provision of pet care necessary to prevent the acquisition and spread of fleas, ticks and other parasites; and
  4. Responsibility for care or supervision of the pet by facility

 

4-006.13E     Environmental  Safety:    The assisted-living facility is responsible for maintaining the facility in a manner that minimizes accidents.

 

4-006.13E1 The facility must maintain the environment to protect the health and safety of residents by keeping surfaces smooth and free of sharp edges, mold or dirt; keeping floors free of objects and slippery or uneven surfaces and keeping the environment free of other conditions which may pose a potential risk.

 

4-006.13E2 The facility must maintain all doors, stairways, passageways, aisles or other means of exit in a manner that provides safe and adequate access for care.

 

4-006.13E3 The facility must provide and maintain water for bathing and handwashing at safe and comfortable temperatures to protect residents from potential for burns or scalds. The water temperature at resident  bathing fixtures must not exceed 115 degrees Fahrenheit, except in existing and new facilities where the resident is capable of managing water temperatures.

 

4-006.13E4 The facility must ensure hazardous/poisonous materials utilized by the facility are properly handled and stored to prevent accidental ingestion, inhalation, or consumption of the hazardous/poisonous materials by residents.

 

4-006.13E5 The facility must restrict access to mechanical equipment which may pose a danger to residents.

 

4-006.13F Disaster Preparedness and Management: The assisted-living facility must establish and implement disaster preparedness plans and procedures to ensure that resident care, safety, and well-being are provided and maintained during and following instances of natural (tornado, flood, etc.) or other disasters, disease outbreaks, or other similar situations. Such plans and procedures must address and delineate:

 

  1. How the facility will maintain the proper identification of each resident to ensure that care coincides with the resident’s needs;
  2. How the facility will move residents to points of safety or provide other means of protection when all or part of the building is damaged or uninhabitable due to natural or other disaster;
  3. How the facility will protect residents during the threat of exposure to the ingestion, absorption, or inhalation of hazardous substances or materials;
  4. How the facility will provide food, water, medicine, medical supplies, and other necessary items for care in the event of a natural or other disaster; and
  5. How the facility will provide for the comfort, safety, and well-being of residents in the event of 24 or more consecutive hours of:

 

  1. Electrical or gas outage;
  2. Heating, cooling, or sewer system failure; or
  3. Loss or contamination of water