Physical Plant Standards
Many administrators of assisted living facilities do not have the opportunity to be included in the plans of developing the facilities they operate, meaning there is a possibility the design team is not thoroughly versed in the regulation concerning the communities they build. With that said, you should have a good understanding of the following regulation to avoid being out of compliance with the physical plant standards that the Residential Care Facility Licensing Program provides:
410 IAC 16.2-5-1 Physical Plant Standards
- The facility shall make provisions for the handicapped as required by state or federal codes.
- The facility shall have adequate plumbing, heating, and ventilating systems as governed by applicable rules of the fire prevention and building safety commission (675 IAC). Plumbing, heating, and ventilating systems shall be maintained in normal operating condition and utilized as necessary to provide comfortable temperatures in all areas
- Each facility shall have an adequate air conditioning system, as governed by applicable rules of the fire prevention and building safety commission (675 IAC). The air conditioning system shall be maintained in normal operating condition and utilized as necessary to provide comfortable temperatures in all resident and public areas.
- The facility shall be supplied with safe, potable water, under pressure, from a source approved by the Indiana department of environmental management. If a private water supply is used, the facility shall comply with appropriate laws and rules
- Sewage shall be discharged into a public sewerage system in accordance with the laws and rules of the Indiana water pollution control board, where a system is available. Otherwise, sewage shall be collected, treated, and disposed of in an approved on-site wastewater system in accordance with 410 IAC 6-10.
- The facility shall have, for each room used for dining, living, or sleeping purposes, light and ventilation by means of outside windows with an area equal to one-tenth (1/10) of the total floor area of such rooms.
(g) The following standards apply to resident rooms:
(1) Each room shall have at least eighty (80) square feet per bed for rooms occupied by more than one (1) person and one hundred (100) square feet for single occupancy.
(2) A facility initially licensed prior to January 1, 1964, must provide not less than sixty (60) square feet per bed in multiple occupancy rooms.
(3) A facility initially licensed after January 1, 1964, must have at least seventy (70) square feet of usable floor area for each bed.
(4) Any facility that provides an increase in bed capacity, with plans approved after December 19, 1977, must provide eighty (80) square feet of usable floor area per bed.
(5) For facilities and additions to facilities for which construction plans are submitted for approval after July 1, 1984, resident rooms shall not contain more than four (4) residents’ beds per room.
(h) The facility shall have natural lighting augmented by artificial illumination, when necessary, to provide light intensity and to avoid glare and reflective surfaces that produce discomfort and as indicated in the following table:
Minimum Average Area Foot Candles
Corridors and interior ramp 15
Stairways and landing 20
Recreation area 40
Dining area 20
Resident care room 20
Nurses’ station 40
Nurses’ desk for charts and records 60
Medicine cabinet 75
Utility room 15
Janitor’s closet 15
Reading and bed lamps 20
Toilet and bathing facilities 20
Food preparation surfaces and utensil washing facilities 70
(i) The facility shall house residents only in areas approved by the director for
housing and given a fire clearance by the state fire marshal. The facility shall:
(1) Have a floor at or above grade level. A facility whose plans were approved before
the effective date of this rule may use rooms below ground level for resident
occupancy if the floors are not more than three (3) feet below ground level.
(2) Provide each resident the following items upon request at the time of admission:
(A) A bed:
(i) of appropriate size and height for the resident;
(ii) with a clean and comfortable mattress; and
(iii) with comfortable bedding appropriate to the temperature of the facility.
(B) A bedside cabinet or table with a hard surface and washable top.
(C) A cushioned comfortable chair.
(D) A bedside lamp.
(E) If the resident is bedfast, an adjustable over-the-bed table or other suitable device.
(3) Provide cubicle curtains or screens if requested by a resident in a shared room.
(4) Provide a method by which each resident may summon a staff person at any time.
(5) Equip each resident unit with a door that swings into the room and opens directly
into the corridor or common living area.
(6) Not house a resident in such a manner as to require passage through the room of
another resident. Bedrooms shall not be used as a thoroughfare.
(7) Individual closet space. For facilities and additions to facilities for which construction plans are submitted for approval after July 1, 1984, each resident room shall have clothing storage that includes a closet at least two (2) feet wide and two (2) feet deep, equipped with an easily opened door and a closet rod at least eighteen (18) inches long of adjustable height to provide access by residents in wheelchairs.
(j) The following standards apply to toilet, lavatory, and tub or showers:
(1) For facilities initially licensed after (effective date), each unit shall have a private toilet, lavatory, and tub or shower.
(2) For facilities for which plans were approved prior to April 1, 1997, the following
criteria is [sic., are] applicable:
(A) Bathing facilities for residents not served by bathing facilities in their rooms shall
be provided as follows:
| Residents | Bathtubs/Showers |
| 3-22 | 1 |
| 23-37 | 2 |
| 38-52 | 3 |
| 53-67 | 4 |
| 68-82 | 5 |
| 83-97 | 6 |
(B) A central bathing tub shall be available.
(C) Central bathing and toilet facilities shall be partitioned or curtained for privacy.
(D) Toilets, bath, and shower compartments shall be separated from rooms by solid walls or partitions that extend from the floor to the ceiling.
(E) Toilet facilities shall be provided as follows:
| Residents of the Same Sex | Toilets | Open Lavatories |
| 3-18 | 1 | 1 |
| 19-30 | 2 | 2 |
| 31-42 | 3 | 3 |
| 43-54 | 4 | 4 |
| 55-66 | 5 | 5 |
| 67-78 | 6 | 6 |
(3) For facilities and additions to facilities for which construction plans are submitted for approval after July 1, 1984, at least one (1) toilet and lavatory shall be provided for each eight (8) residents as follows:
(A) Toilet rooms adjacent to resident bedrooms shall serve no more than two (2) resident rooms or more than eight (8) beds.
(B) The toilet room shall contain a toilet, lavatory, liquid soap, and disposable towel dispenser.
(C) Each resident shall have access to a toilet and lavatory without entering a common corridor area.
(D) For facility with common toilet facilities, at least one (1) toilet and one (1) lavatory for each gender on each floor utilized by residents.
(E) All bathing and shower rooms shall have mechanical ventilation.
(k) Hot water temperature for all bathing and hand washing facilities shall be
controlled by an automatic control valve. Water temperature at point of use must be
maintained between one hundred (100) degrees Fahrenheit and one hundred twenty
(120) degrees Fahrenheit.
(l) The facility shall have a nourishment station for supplemental food service separate from the resident’s unit.
(m) Ice shall be readily available to residents at all times in the facility.
(n) The facility shall have living areas with sufficient space to accommodate the
dining, activity, and lounge needs of the residents and to prevent the interference of
one (1) function with another as follows:
(1) Dining, lounge, and activity areas shall be:
(A) readily accessible to wheelchair and ambulatory residents; and
(B) sufficient in size to accommodate necessary equipment and to permit unobstructed movement of wheelchairs, residents, and personnel responsible for assisting, instructing, or supervising residents.
(2) Dining tables of the appropriate height shall be provided to assure access to meals and comfort for residents seated in wheelchairs, geriatric chairs, and regular dining chairs.
(3) A comfortably furnished resident living and lounge area shall be provided on each resident occupied floor of a multi-story building. This lounge may be furnished and maintained to accommodate activity and dining functions.
(4) An area for resident activities. In a facility for which plans were approved after December 19, 1977, a restroom large enough to accommodate a wheelchair and equipped with grab bars located near the activity room shall be provided.
(5) For facilities and additions to facilities for which construction plans are submitted for approval after July 1, 1984, the total area for resident dining, activities, and lounge purposes shall not be less than thirty (30) square feet per bed.
(o) Each facility shall have an adequate kitchen that complies with 410 IAC 7-24.
(p) The facility shall have a janitor’s closet conveniently located on each resident occupied floor of the facility. The janitor’s closet shall contain a sink or floor receptacle and storage for cleaning supplies. The door to the janitor’s closet shall be equipped with a lock and shall be locked when hazardous materials are stored in the closet.
(q) The facility shall have laundry services either in-house or with a commercial laundry by contract as follows:
(1) If a facility operates its own laundry, the laundry shall be designed and operated to promote a flow of laundry from the soiled utility area toward the clean utility area to prevent contamination.
(2) Written procedures for handling, storage, transportation, and processing of linens shall be posted in the laundry and shall be implemented.
(r) For facilities and additions to facilities for which construction plans are submitted for approval after July 1, 1984, if the facility provides therapy, the facility shall have a therapy area.