Do you think assisted living is the answer for your parent who can no longer live alone? Think again. At one time assisted living was glorified as the answer where mom and dad who could still do some things for themselves but needed help with other things could go and enjoy a good life. Not so anymore because no one seems to be watching very closely. The federal government makes a feeble attempt to protect nursing-home residents through with rigid regulations and state-run inspections about once a year. Assisted living facilities have a hodgepodge of licensing, inspection, and staff-training standards of varying strictness. In other words, no one is watching or monitoring assisted living facilities. Prospective residents and their families need to really look beyond the smiling, happy face brochures.
