ALEXANDRIA, Va. – May 4, 2011 -- The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) praised Governor Nathan Deal for signing into law today a bill that will enable seniors to enjoy higher levels of support in assisted living communities and avoid unnecessary moves to institutional environments.

The law creates a new assisted living licensure category for communities with a resident capacity to accommodate 25 or more seniors and will expand the types of services seniors may receive beyond what is currently allowed in personal care homes. These services, among others, will include medication administration by specially trained aides and assistance for residents who have mobility challenges.

“Thanks to Governor Deal and the General Assembly, Georgia’s seniors and their families can now benefit from the services offered by assisted living instead of being forced to move to institutional settings when they need more assistance,” said Richard P. Grimes, president and CEO of the Assisted Living Federation of America. “Georgians will now have more choices and greater peace of mind when selecting senior care for themselves or their loved ones.”

The bill passed the Georgia Senate on March 14, 2011 and the Georgia House of Respresentatives on April 12, 2011. Senator Johnny Grant (R-Milledgeville) was the prime sponsor of the bill in the Senate. State Representative Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta) sponsored the House companion legislation.

ALFA and its state affiliate, Georgia ALFA, took a major leadership role in promoting this legislation. In addition, many consumer and provider organizations joined with ALFA to champion passage of this legislation including AARP Georgia, Alzheimer’s Association - Georgia Chapter, Coalition of Advocates for Georgia’s Elderly (CO-AGE), Aging Services of Georgia, Assisted Living Association of Georgia, Georgia Association of Community Care Providers and the Georgia Health Care Association.

About the Assisted Living Federation of America
The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) is the largest national association exclusively dedicated to professionally-managed, resident-centered senior living communities and the seniors and families they serve.  Since 1990, ALFA has advocated for choice, accessibility, independence, dignity, and quality of life for all seniors.  ALFA’s programs promote business and operational excellence through education, research, publications, professional networking and online tools designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurialism in the field of senior living.  Visit ALFA’s Web site at www.alfa.org.

Contact:

Paul Williams 
Senior Director of Government Relations
703-562-1183
pwilliams@alfa.org

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