Assisted living group opposes Question 1
The trade group representing assisted living facilities came out Thursday against the nurse-to-patient staffing requirements of Question 1, expressing fear that the proposal will force hospitals to recruit more nurses and take away personnel from a growing sector that serves 10,000 seniors in Massachusetts.
"Assisted living has flourished over the past three decades as increasing numbers of older adults value the opportunity to live in a community-oriented environment built on a model of independence, dignity and choice," Brian Doherty, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association (Mass-ALA), said in a statement. "We are concerned that this ballot measure, which could dramatically reduce the availability of nurses beyond hospitals, would create new barriers to care for residents and erode the gains we have made as a Commonwealth in supporting seniors."
Losing staff to hospitals would also negatively affect the affordability of assisted living, according to Doherty, whose organization represents 230 assisted living residences in Massachusetts. "If passed, this ballot question would make it more challenging to provide affordable assisted living to seniors who believe our residential model best fits their needs," he said.
In August, Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems Executive Director David Matteodo expressed similar concerns, saying psychiatric hospitals and units would have to reduce capacity because they would be unable to find or pay for newly required registered nurses.
Question 1 supporters have dismissed claims about a nursing shortage, saying there would be more than enough nurses to fill open jobs if care providers made a financial commitment to staffing levels that the Massachusetts Nurses Association says are critical to improving patient care and safety.
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