When was the last time you gave your emergency preparedness plan a second look? With new emergency management requirements from the Joint Commission on Accreditation set to take effect for all accredited assisted living community programs on July 1, 2025, there’s no better time than now! Emergency Preparedness Management – Assisted Living isn’t just for accredited communities either—every senior living community must prioritize a strong plan.
The new and revised requirements touch on key areas you should already be addressing. Here’s a quick glance at what’s included:
The organization:
• Leadership will provide oversight and support of emergency management activities.
• Conducts a hazard vulnerability analysis using an all-hazards approach.
• Develops an emergency operations plan based on an all-hazards approach.
• Has a communications plan that addresses how it will communicate during an emergency.
• Has a staffing plan for managing all staff and volunteers during an emergency or disaster incident.
• Has a plan for providing resident care and clinical support during an emergency or disaster incident.
• Has a plan for safety and security measures to take during an emergency or disaster incident.
• Has a plan for managing resources and assets during an emergency or disaster incident.
• Has a plan for managing utility systems during an emergency or disaster incident.
• Has a disaster recovery plan.
• Provides emergency management education and training.
• Conducts exercises to evaluate its emergency operations plan and response procedures.
• Evaluates and revises its emergency operations plan.
Hopefully, your emergency preparedness program already checks these boxes. If not, there’s no better moment to update your plan. Thankfully, you don’t have to start from scratch! Great resources like the HealthCap Emergency Preparedness Manual can offer guidance and best practices, making it easier to build and refine your program while encouraging collaboration with other communities.
Remember, emergencies don’t make appointments! It’s critical to ensure your staff are fully educated and ready because emergencies can—and do—happen. Accreditation isn’t required to be prepared; it’s all about how we care for our residents when it matters most.
Stay well and stay informed!
Explore HealthCap’s Manuals and Toolkits, including the comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Manual, to strengthen your community’s readiness today:
