- Indiana Code 16-28 requires that long-term health care facilities within the state be licensed according to regulations set forth by a health facilities council. A facility can be licensed as a nursing home or assisted-living facility if it meets the basic fire and safety regulations, health and sanitation standards and has a qualified medical staff to care for any patient admitted to the facility. These regulations must be met before a license is issued. This license must be renewed annually with inspections performed by the council.
- A nursing home facility in the state of Indiana must have at least one full-time physician. Other employees include nurses, qualified medication aides and other aides that assist with mobility and rehabilitation. Aides working in these facilities need to complete state-approved courses and a competency evaluation test before they are certified by the state to work in a nursing home facility. The certification is issued by the Indiana State Department of Health and will need to be renewed on a regular basis.
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A comprehensive care facility in the state of Indiana is a facility that takes care of patients on a long-term basis. The comprehensive care facility provides medical and day-to-day care for those that may not be able to return to a normal, self-sufficient life.
An intermediate care facility, also known in some areas as a group home, is a way for some patients to have the medical and emotional support they need without having to be on their own. Group homes typically take four to eight patients at a time and work with them to get active treatment.
A residential care facility is a facility for elderly patients that would like to have freedom, but still be assisted by the staff at the facility in some daily tasks. Residential care facilities are also known as assisted-living facilities. - All Indiana nursing care facilities are also subject to federal regulations regarding the health, safety and quality of care for any patient admitted. Title 42, Chapter IV, Part 483, of the Public Health Code of Regulations outlines the rules and regulations all nursing care facilities in the United States must follow. These regulations include the quality of the medical care, basic guidelines for rehabilitation services and evaluations of the competency of any staff member that works with long-term patients.
- Those who need to find a nursing home or long-term care facility for a family member should research the types of facilities available, pay close attention to the care that the patient receives and understand the patient's nursing-home residents' rights. The residents' rights for those in residential or long-term care facilities include being treated with respect, provided visitation with family and friends, and a safe, clean environment for living.
