Survey Process: Facilitating the Resident Group Meeting

Facility inspections include resident group meetings, conducted by your licensor. These meetings are ideally held relatively early in the full inspection process. This allows the licensors to meet the residents and provide an explanation on their purpose for being in the facility. During the meeting, residents can ask questions and share information on their experiences about living in the facility. This data-gathering exercise allows the licensors to focus on specific concerns voiced during the meeting and serves in the resident sample selection process for in-depth interviews and record reviews later in the inspection. While the resident group meeting generally occurs shortly following the facility tour, the timing is flexible and based on resident availability, activity schedules, and other factors.

Licensors will work with facility leadership in communicating with residents the time and location of the resident meeting. Facility staff might announce the time/day of the resident meeting during a meal or activity so residents are aware. Licensors will post signage throughout the building, notifying residents of the upcoming meeting.

Facility leadership plays a role in identifying a large enough space where licensors and residents can gather and, at the same time, speak freely without interruption. Facility staff are not invited to the meeting, but should ensure residents who wish to attend the meeting receive assistance needed to get there timely. If the facility has a secure memory care unit in addition to the assisted living, the licensors might hold two separate resident meetings so all residents have the opportunity to participate.

If the facility serves mixed populations of assisted living and nonresident individuals (independent residents/tenants), it is important to ensure that only assisted living residents participate in this meeting. There may be times when it is necessary to stand outside the door as assisted living residents enter, and let nonresidents know that this meeting is solely for those residents on assisted living services. Should a nonresident individual attend the meeting, advise the licensors so they are aware.

Licensors have scripted questions on certain topics (via Attachment E) to ask during the resident meeting. While there are plenty of questions included in the form, licensors might only ask a few of them or, in the event residents guide the discussion toward certain topics, licensors may focus on those areas during the meeting.

Licensors will follow up on any resident concerns that were not rectified during the group meeting. If the licensors have not done so already, they may choose some residents from this meeting to include in their resident sample, which guides the remainder of the resident-centered inspection process.

It is recommended that providers include similar questions as outlined in Attachment E when conducting formal and informal resident surveys; this way, any concerns or issues can surface before a full licensing inspection, and the facility’s staff can work with the resident to remedy any concerns and minimize the likelihood of any issues that may come to the attention of the licensors during the inspection process.

If you have questions about the resident group meeting or any other aspect of the assisted living inspection, contact Vicki McNealley at (800) 562-6170 extension 107 or via email.