Owners of assisted-living facilities are lobbying Massachusetts lawmakers for authority to provide several highly sought medical services — a campaign that is sparking concern among patient advocates and dividing the industry. Unlike nursing homes, which provide round-the-clock medical care by nurses, assisted-living centers are designed and regulated in Massachusetts as private apartments that offer assistance with daily activities, such as bathing, cooking, dressing, and managing medications. Such facilities are home to roughly 14,000 residents in Massachusetts. Proposed legislation would allow assisted-living facilities to provide limited medical services that include injections, catheter replacement, applying medication and sterile dressing for wounds and skin problems, and administering oxygen to patients with serious ailments.
For the article from the Boston Globe, click here.
