Gov. Healey announces safety reforms for assisted living in Massachusetts after Gabriel House fire
Governor Maura Healey has announced a set of safety reforms for assisted living facilities in Massachusetts after a deadly fire at the Gabriel House in Fall River.
The changes came after the Assisted Living Resident Commission spent months preparing the recommendations based on feedback from the general public and emergency guidelines. The report was originally due on August 1 but was extended to January 12 to include recommendations based on the Gabriel House fire.
The fire claimed the lives of 10 residents and injured around 30. Seven former residents have since sued the facility's owner, accusing him of negligence. The lawsuit accuses Fire Systems, Inc. of not maintaining the fire alarms and sprinklers.
The Fall River fire chief also released recommendations in a safety report in the months following the fire.
"The heartbreaking tragedy at Gabriel House showed us that we cannot wait to strengthen protections for assisted living residents. We are taking immediate action on these recommendations so we can better protect residents, support families and ensure our assisted living system continues to serve people well into the future," Healey said in a statement.
The recommendations aim to improve safety for their residents and give family members peace of mind.
One new initiative requires fire departments to complete more inspections of the residences. Another recommendation requires each facility to have licensed nurses and "leadership training that matches resident needs."
"Every older adult deserves a safe home and peace of mind, and every family deserves transparency and accountability," said Healey in a statement.
The recommendations also want to ensure that families can make informed decisions on where to send their loved ones by giving them access to more information on things such as owners, compliance records, and action plans.
In an effort to create more transparency, the state will require the facilities to inform families when residents need more care and any additional costs based on evaluations. They will also ensure that families know when a facility can no longer meet their family members' needs.
Finally, the state will create a task force to increase access to facilities for low- and middle-income adults.
To read the full report and findings, click here.