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Policy and research issues for small assisted living facilities
Leslie A Morgan1, J Kevin Eckert, Ann L Gruber-Baldini
1Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Maryland. Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA. lmorgan@umbc.edu
Journal of Aging & Social Policy
|February 24, 2005
Summary
Assisted Living (AL) facility size impacts quality measures, often favoring larger homes. Current assessments may overlook benefits of smaller AL facilities, requiring careful policy and quality evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Services Research
- Public Policy
Background:
- Assisted Living (AL) facilities are rapidly expanding, attracting significant research and policy attention.
- Understanding the nuances between different AL facility sizes is crucial for effective policy and quality assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare smaller and larger Assisted Living (AL) facilities across four states.
- To determine if current measurement tools for key AL concepts advantage larger facilities.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative analysis comparing facility characteristics.
- Qualitative data to explore potential biases in measurement.
Main Results:
- Quantitative comparisons generally favored larger AL facilities.
- Qualitative insights suggest current measures may not capture the full value of smaller AL facilities.
Conclusions:
- Existing quality measures may inadvertently disadvantage smaller Assisted Living (AL) facilities.
- Policy and quality assessment frameworks need refinement to equitably support both small and large AL homes.