Argentum, ASHA, LeadingAge, NARA, and NCAL seek to build consensus around Emergency Preparedness Guidelines for Assisted Living
The Quality in Assisted Living Collaborative (QALC) today announced the release of proposed emergency preparedness guidelines for assisted living communities. As part of its commitment to fostering excellence and safety, the QALC is inviting input from stakeholders and other interested parties during a 45-day comment period. Written comments should be submitted by September 8, 2025.
The QALC welcomes all stakeholders, including assisted living providers, regulators, policymakers, and advocacy organizations, to participate in the comment period and contribute their insights to shape the final Emergency Preparedness guidelines. Input from a broad spectrum of voices is vital to ensuring the effectiveness and relevance of the guidelines. All written comments received by the due date will be considered by QALC’s Emergency Preparedness Workgroup as the next step in the guidelines development process.
Download the proposed Emergency Preparedness Guidelines here.
Comments can be submitted using this QALC Comment Form.
The QALC is a collaborative effort involving Argentum, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), LeadingAge, the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), and the National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA). Since its launch in 2023, the Collaborative has focused on development of guidelines for assisted living providers, starting with IPC Guidelines released in November 2024. In June 2024, QALC formed the Emergency Preparedness Workgroup, comprised of subject matter experts and others having diverse perspectives to draft and build consensus around proposed guidelines.
“A special thank you to QALC’s Emergency Preparedness Workgroup for their efforts in developing the proposed guidelines for assisted living communities,” said James Balda, President & CEO of Argentum. “For this next phase of the development process, it’s critical for all stakeholders – especially providers – to provide their feedback to help ensure these final guidelines meet the needs of our communities and the residents we serve.”
“The work of the QALC related to emergency preparedness guidelines will prove helpful to owners and operators as well as policymakers working to ensure that assisted living settings are well-positioned to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those who reside in these settings across the country,” said David Schless, President and CEO of the American Seniors Housing Association.
“We urge aging services stakeholders nationwide, including nonprofit providers, to weigh in now as these emergency preparedness guidelines for assisted living communities are being developed. Broad participation in this initiative will help to ensure a smart and high-quality outcome. Older adults deserve nothing less,” said Katie Smith Sloan, President & CEO, LeadingAge.
“Assisted living providers already adhere to robust emergency preparedness regulations around the country as part of our commitment to uphold safety and promote quality,” said NCAL Executive Director LaShuan Bethea. “As a profession that seeks to continuously improve and evolve, these guidelines can serve not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a resource and helpful guide. We encourage all stakeholders to provide thoughtful feedback for consideration.”
“Fundamental to the assisted living sector’s success is increasing the capacity of each assisted living community to prepare, respond and recover in the event of a natural and man-made disaster,” said Alfred C. Johnson, Past NARA Board President. “Through a collaborative partnership, QALC has developed a comprehensive set of emergency preparedness standards that have been designed specifically for the assisted living sector. These standards can be used to guide the development, or revision, of assisted living regulations or assisted living provider policies and procedures. We are now extending this collaborative partnership to all assisted living stakeholders. Your review of the draft standards will offer critical insight into this important topic.”
The proposed guidelines outline a comprehensive approach to emergency preparedness planning for assisted living communities and are intended for use by providers as a means of self-assessment and continual improvement. They focus on measures considered by the Workgroup to be essential to emergency preparedness, including establishing an emergency preparedness plan, designating an emergency preparedness leader, staff training, and other important elements.
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ABOUT ARGENTUM
Since 1990, Argentum has advocated for choice, independence, dignity, and quality of life for all older adults. Argentum member companies operate senior living communities offering assisted living, independent living, continuing care, and memory care services. Along with its state partners, Argentum’s membership represents approximately 75 percent of the senior living industry—an industry with a national economic impact of nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars and responsible for providing over 1.6 million jobs. These numbers will continue to grow as the U.S. population ages. Argentum’s programs and initiatives are driven by its membership. For more information about joining Argentum, please visit argentum.org/membership. Learn more at www.argentum.org.
ABOUT ASHA
Based in Washington, DC, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) advances the interests of organizations engaged in the development, ownership, operations, and financing of seniors housing. As part of this role, ASHA works to educate policymakers about the industry and protect the interests of seniors housing owners and operators, as well as advocating for policies that benefit its residents and their families. ASHA is also engaged in national consumer education initiatives designed to help older adults, families and other influencers understand their senior living options and make empowered decisions.
ABOUT LEADINGAGE
We represent more than 5,400 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-driven organizations serving older adults that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 36 partners in 41 states, we use advocacy, education, applied research, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old. Our membership encompasses the entire continuum of aging services, including skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, affordable housing, retirement communities, adult day programs, community-based services, hospice, and home-based care. We bring together the most inventive minds in the field to lead and innovate solutions that support older adults wherever they call home. For more information visit leadingage.org
ABOUT AHCA/NCAL
The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) is the assisted living voice of the American Health Care Association (AHCA). AHCA/NCAL represents more than 15,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers, and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit www.ahcancal.org or www.ncal.org.
ABOUT NARA
NARA is an international non-profit professional association founded in 1976 representing all human care licensing, including adult residential and assisted living, adult day care, child care, child welfare and program licensing for services related to mental illness, developmental disabilities and abuse of drugs or alcohol. Among our partners are providers, consumers and their families, regulators, advocates, concerned citizens, business and religious communities, policy-makers, universities, researchers, and allied professionals from the academic, technical and treatment disciplines. For more information, please visit www.naralicensing.org, or contact us at [email protected].
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Argentum –Stephanie Robert, (571) 527-2624, [email protected]
ASHA – Sheff Richey, 202-885-5563, [email protected]
LeadingAge – Colleen Knudsen, (202) 508-1215, [email protected]
NCAL – Abigail Barreto, (202) 898-2802, [email protected]
NARA – Ivoire Foreman, (888) 674-7052, [email protected]
