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How to Find an Assisted Living Facility in Arizona

Posted by: Craig A. Knapp
January 11, 2012
Topic: Assisted Living Facilities

What is an assisted living facility?

An assisted living facility is a residential care institution that provides or contracts to provide supervisory care, personal care, or directed care on a continuing basis.

Are there many types of assisted living facilities?

Yes. There are 3 different types determined by size: adult foster care homes, where care is provided for up to four people in the home in which the caregiver lives, assisted living homes, which provide care for up to ten people, and assisted living centers, which provide care for eleven or more people.

Who's in charge of these in Arizona?

Under the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS), the Division of Licensing Services, Office of Assisted Living Licensing regulates and monitors Assisted Living Facilities statewide.

When looking for an assisted living facility for you or your loved one, the best thing you can do is to thoroughly do some research. Luckily, there are many resources at your fingertips to ensure that your research is reliable and painless.

Where can I find information about a particular assisted living facility?

The best place to start is from home, believe it or not. A simple Google search will tell you a lot about facilities in your area, whether it's rater reviews, news articles that may have been written about them, and even browsing through their website is a good start. A great rule of thumb we tell people to live by when searching for the right assisted living facility for them is make sure it feels right. If something seems "off" about it online, by phone, or in person, keep searching.

Once you've narrowed it down to a few facilities, a great place to visit is the department in charge of the facilities (see above). Since the state regulates these facilities in an effort to optimize safety of the residents in these facilities, all of their records are public. Therefore, anyone who wants information can visit their office during business hours Monday through Friday and check out a file on any facility containing inspection records, complaints, and licensing history. You may also obtain copies of statutes and regulations governing the operation of assisted living facilities upon request. For more information, visit them online at http://www.azcarecheck.com.

Finding the right home for you or your loved one is the most important thing you can do. If you're seeking a new home due to a problem with your former assisted living facility, don't hesitate to report it. Families and residents alike rely on information to guide them in finding the right home. Contact the AZDHS and file a report by phone, fax, email, or letter as soon as you can. You could be saving someone else from enduring the same problems you endured. If you're in need of legal advice regarding abuse, neglect, or mistreatment in an assisted living facility, contact Knapp & Roberts. We have the experience and passion to assist you in ensuring this abuse is stopped.

Information gathered from http://www.azdhs.gov/als/hcb/index.htm.


The Knapp & Roberts law firm represents serious injury and wrongful death clients throughout Arizona, including the communities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Queen Creek, Apache Junction, Goodyear, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Yuma in the Valley of the Sun - Maricopa County, Pinal County, Coconino County, Yuma County, and Gila County.