Assisted Living: Increasing Acuity, in Numbers; State Policy Review

​Experts speaking at the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists Annual Meeting presented numbers to confirm what many assisted-living providers are seeing: the increasing acuity of assisted-living residents, reports a March 8, 2013, Caring for the Agesarticle. According to one speaker, 40% of assisted-living residents have limitations in at least three activities of daily living—most commonly bathing and dressing. Half have two or three chronic conditions, and 42% have dementia. In addition, 77% need help with medications, such as reminders, use of prepackaged doses, or help with administration. One pharmacy consultant noted that she has seen assisted-living residents taking as many as 30 medications and that more and more residents are taking high-risk medications.