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Ministry of Health

Office of the Assisted Living Registrar

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Publications

Brochures

Complaint Investigation in Assisted Living [PDF 411 Kb] — provides information about the assisted living complaint process. The brochure is also available from assisted living operators.

Information About Assisted Living [PDF 551 Kb] — provides information about assisted living in British Columbia and the role of the Assisted Living Registrar. The Registrar provides copies of this brochure to operators for distribution to residents and their families.

Should I Register My Residence? [PDF 105 Kb]— provides detailed information for developers and operators on whether they need to register their residence, and on the differences between assisted living and other forms of housing.

Film

“Protecting the Health and Safety of Assisted Living Residents” - a short film on the regulation of assisted living in British Columbia

Registrant Handbook Excerpts

The Office of the Assisted Living Registrar issues the Registrant Handbook to operators of registered assisted living residences (i.e., registrants). The handbook sets out operators’ obligations and the Office of the Assisted Living Registrar’s policies and procedures. It also provides reference material to assist operators in fulfilling their obligations. The handbook is intended to be used as a guide for day-to-day residence operations, interaction with the OALR and staff training. Excerpts from the handbook are available below:

Overview

Introduction [PDF 55 Kb] — outlines the purpose and use of the Registrant Handbook and explains the Assisted Living Registrar’s mandate and the OALR’s guiding principles.

Policies

*** UPDATED **** Policy 1 Registrant Obligations [PDF 64K] — an overview of registrants’ obligations under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act.

Policy 2 Operating an Assisted Living Residence [PDF 67.3 Kb] —an overview of key features of the assisted living service delivery model.

Policy 3 How to Maintain Your Registration [PDF 57.3 Kb] — outlines what an operator needs to do on an ongoing basis to keep the OALR’s information about the registered residence up to date.

*** UPDATED *** Policy 4 Health and Safety Standards [PDF 4.7M] — the six high-level outcome-based health and safety standards for assisted living residences, related outcomes, and examples of how operators can demonstrate compliance with the standards.

Policy 5 Resident Entry and Exit [PDF 321 Kb] — this key policy details how operators should interpret and apply section 26(3) of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. The section prohibits an assisted living operator from housing people who are unable to make decisions on their own behalf. It explains how operators should screen residents for suitability for entry, keep a watchful eye over residents during their stay at the residence to ensure ongoing suitability, and start the exit process when residents are no longer able to make the range of decisions necessary to function safely in the residence.

Policy 6 Personal Assistance Services [PDF 57 Kb] — an overview of the difference between offering personal assistance at the support and prescribed levels, the health and safety standards that apply to providing personal assistance at the prescribed level, and how operators ensure appropriate professional oversight of non-professional staff.

Policy 7 Medication Services [PDF 91.7 Kb] — details four levels of medication assistance that can be provided in assisted living, and the policies and procedures an operator must have in place to provide medication assistance at the prescribed level.

Policy 8 Serious Incident Reporting [PDF 50.8 Kb] — details what constitutes a serious incident that must be reported to the OALR, and how to report it.

Policy 9 Complaint Resolution [PDF 69.3 Kb] — discusses the operators’ and the OALR’s complaint resolution processes.

Policy 10 Meal and Dietary Services [PDF 91.3 Kb] — explains the difference between meal service (one of the five required hospitality services) and therapeutic diets (one of the personal assistance areas an operator can offer in an assisted living residence).

Policy 11 Food Safety [PDF 50.6 Kb] — outlines safe food-handling practices for operators who house six or fewer residents. Operators of larger residences, who must have a Food Premises Permit, may also be interested in reviewing this policy.

Policy 12 Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases [PDF 76 Kb] — explains how registrants can meet outcome 1.6.1 of the Health and Safety Standards regarding the prevention and control of infectious diseases, and outlines the role of public health in response to infectious diseases in assisted living residences.

Forms

Application for Registration Form [PDF 483 Kb] — must be completed and submitted at least two months before opening a residence.

Personal Assistance Services Self-Assessment Worksheet [PDF 304 Kb] — this worksheet helps operators and applicants assess the extent to which they are offering personal assistance in any of the six service areas, and whether they are doing so at the prescribed level. The worksheet must be completed and submitted to the OALR at least two months before opening a residence.

Serious Incident Report Form [PDF 185 Kb]— this form must be filled in by residence site managers when reporting serious incidents such as attempted suicides, unexpected deaths, abuse or neglect by staff, medication errors and fires. The form must be submitted to the Office of the Assisted Living Register no later than the next business day after a serious incident.

Bulletins

Pandemic Planning in Assisted Living [PDF 85 Kb] - this bulletin outlines steps registrants should take to prepare for a pandemic and provides resources for further guidance.

Listeria Planning in Assisted Living [PDF 127 Kb] – this bulletin makes recommendations for food safety relevant to assisted living residences.

*** NEW *** 2011 Census and National Household Survey [PDF 95K] – this bulletin explains the role of registrants regarding the disclosure of resident's personal information.

*** NEW *** Criminal Record Checks in Assisted Living [PDF 114K] – this bulletin explains how recent changes to the BC Criminal Records Review Act affects assisted living registrants

Media Releases

News Release, 2003 - News Release regarding appointment of Assisted Living Registrar, Presentations by the Assisted Living Registrar [PDF 18.2 Kb]  

Countdown to Registration, 2004 - Introduction to the Regulatory Model and Registration Process [PDF 79.4 Kb]