Caregiver Training Can Solve Top Deficiencies in Assisted Living

PORTLAND, OR, December 12, 2012 (Press-News.org) Assisted living facilities nationwide are not only struggling to meet state compliance regulations, but are sometimes even sliding backward in their efforts when comparing year-over-year data on common regulatory citations, a recent assessment by the Assisted Living Federation of America shows.

What is most surprising about the findings in ALFA's Top 10 Deficiencies 2012 report is that many of the deficiencies cited could have been solved through proper staff training, including the most common one: medication administration. States issue compliance deficiency citations when staff do not provide medication as directed, have outdated physician orders or mis-document medication administration.

"The prevalence of these citations indicates the importance of training and procedures that focus on both proper medication administration and documentation," said the report's executive summary. The report noted 41 states, or 86% of those reporting, listed medication administration as deficient at assisted living sites. Data was collected from 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Other main categories where assisted living proved deficient were resident admission requirements and on-going resident assessment, which the report said could be solved with improved training. "The frequency of these citations highlights the importance of proper training and systems."

"The ALFA report shows assisted living caregivers need thorough, effective and ongoing training," said Sharon Brothers, CEO of Institute for Professional Care Education. "Caregiving organizations must be vigilant in their training to not only meet compliance with state regulations, but also to assure the greatest level of care to their customers."

On-going training is easier to achieve now that assisted living communities and their caregivers have online access to training through companies like aQuire Training Solutions, which offers over 100 course hours of training covering everything from medication management to observation, reporting and recording skills. Through aQuire, training is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a goal of helping assisted living professionals meet their state compliance requirements and improve the overall quality of care provided to their residents.

The ALFA report also showcases some good news in its report about deficiencies: cases of abuse and neglect appear less often in state non-compliance data, a point Brothers notes could be due to more aggressive training on the subject.

"We've seen states really put a focus on training as a way to end neglect and abuse," Brothers said. "Staff and caregivers are given frequent and intensive training to meet state compliance regulations in this area, and it appears to be working."

To develop its report, ALFA contacted the regulatory agencies in each state and compiled a list of the 10 most common citations in assisted living throughout the state. Now in its second year, the annual report was developed to help senior living companies identify potential shortcomings and improve compliance.

About the Institute for Professional Care Education (IPCed)
The Institute for Professional Care Education (IPCed), brings together award-winning training and flexible solutions to meet a variety of caregiver training needs. IPCed is home to the caregiver training brands Medifecta, which specializes in DVD and learning support materials; aQuire Training Solutions, an on-line training portal for assisted living and home care agencies; and Easy CEU, which provides nationally accredited continuing education courses for licensed professionals in the long term industry.