Solutions for Better Care for t...( PHILADELPHIA Oct. 21 /- With Pennsylv...),Health

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- With Pennsylvania just weeks away from the publication of final assisted living regulations, recently-released survey results about the size of living units in existing facilities show the wisdom of the proposed rules -- and the absurdity of the industry's opposition.

The size of the living units has been one of the most contentious issues in the battle over the regulations between consumers and the industry. Existing rules governing facilities that call themselves assisted living only require 80 square feet of living space per person. This is woefully small, equivalent to the federal minimum requirement for a prison cell. Rooms of this size do not provide a home-like environment and are not big enough to ensure comfort and safety for residents who are usually elderly and have disabilities.

The state has proposed setting the minimum requirement at 175 square feet for existing construction and 250 square feet for new construction, excluding bathrooms and closets. The latter number also is the recommended size supported by the Philadelphia Housing Authority and Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. But the assisted living industry wants the minimum set at 125 square feet for existing construction and 150 square feet for new construction.

Trade associations argue that facilities cannot currently meet the proposed standards. But the survey results show that many facilities are meeting the standards already.

According to a recent voluntary survey conducted by the state of Pennsylvania, more than 72% (20,801 units out of 28,774 units as reported to the state this Spring) of existing living units already meet (and mostly exceed) the state's proposed 175-square-foot requirement. More than 700 facilities that are currently licensed as personal care homes -- that may or may not call themselves assisted living -- voluntarily participated in this survey. The survey was distribut
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