A proposed bill would update assessment tool language in Illinois assisted living regulations that better reflect recent advancements in dementia care, according to state senior living experts.
HB 3328, introduced Feb. 7 by Rep. Natalie Manley (D), would amend the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act. When the regulations initially were written, the tools they listed likely were the best available at the time, according to LeadingAge Illinois Director of Government Relations Jason Speaks. Today, many of the tools listed in the regulations are “outdated, copyrighted and costly, and do not reflect recent advancements in dementia care,” he said.
“New, more effective assessments now exist that provide deeper insights into resident needs,” Speaks told McKnight’s Senior Living. The association is the state partner of the national LeadingAge and Argentum associations. “This legislation shifts the regulations away from specifying particular assessments and instead focuses on recognizing tools that are regularly reviewed and updated to align with current best practices and clinical standards in dementia care,” he added.
The proposed bill states that resident assessments before admission to assisted living communities should be “approved or recommended by recognized Alzheimer’s and dementia care experts” to ensure that they accurately identify and evaluate cognitive impairments related to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The bill also states that those tools will be reviewed and updated as needed to align with current best practices and clinical standards in dementia care.
Source: McKnights Seniorliving
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