Senator Clinton recently was selected to serve on the Aging Subcommittee, which is a subcommittee of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Unlike the Senate Special Committee on Aging, the Senate Aging Subcommittee has the authority to develop policy. No decision has been made about whether the Aging Subcommittee will hold a hearing. NCAL is working with staff from the Aging Subcommittee and the Special Committee on Aging and will keep members apprised of developments. NCAL Publishes 2001 Assisted Living State Regulatory Review NCAL s Assisted Living State Regulatory Review 2001 is now available to members upon request.
Copies are available to members free of charge.
Residents in facilities with more than 50 beds use more medications than residents living in facilities with fewer than 10 beds. A 1997 national survey showed nursing home patients used an average of 5.9 medications. Cardiovascular, central nervous system and nutritional medications were prescribed most often. It is important to note that several important limitations exist with the new findings. The study examined 608 assisted living residents in 109 assisted living facilities from data compiled by a large pharmacy provider in a single metropolitan area for a period of one month.