During the last session of the legislature, State Sen. Cliff Hoofman of North Little Rock and Kurt Knickrehm, the new director of the Department of Human Services, tried to bring assisted living to Arkansas. They failed because of the influence of nursing home operators. Assisted living is what you need when your physical condition will no longer allow you to live at home alone but you aren't sick enough to go to a nursing home.
Most states provide it.
In Arkansas, you probably could get a license for a nudist colony easier than a new nursing home. The last one issued was in April 1993. Its members are appointed by the governor, and, by law, more than half of them must belong to organizations that are nursing-home friendly. This commission has many friends in the legislature. In the last session, a bill was introduced to add a nursing-home patient advocate to the commission and to require that no member have a financial interest in nursing homes.