BOSTON — The Assisted Living Residences Commission met Wednesday morning and unanimously approved its final report on policies to ensure assisted living residences adequately meet residents’ health and safety needs.
After the Gabriel House fire killed 10 residents in July, commission members requested additional time to solicit feedback from experts in congregate care safety. The recommendations were originally expected to be submitted by Aug. 1, 2025, but were postponed after the tragic fire in Fall River.
According to a state survey of all 272 assisted living residences conducted last year, a “vast majority of residences reported strong preparedness measures,” though most self-identified at least one area where they were “not aligned with best practices for fire or building safety.”
Following Wednesday’s vote, Gov. Maura Healey announced a set of reforms aimed at strengthening building safety, transparency and protections at assisted living residences statewide.
The commission’s recommendations are intended to ensure assisted living residences continue to meet the evolving needs of older adults while strengthening transparency and oversight, emergency preparedness, staffing and consumer protections.
Since the Gabriel House fire, the commission met 16 times, held two public hearings and incorporated feedback from residents, families, industry experts and first responders. The recommendations include:
- Fire safety and emergency preparedness standards: Enhanced inspections and increased coordination with local fire departments to help prevent future tragedies.
- Transparent public data: Creation of a statewide online database providing families access to compliance records, ownership information and corrective action plans.
- Standardized disclosures: Uniform information on services, costs, staffing and resident rights to allow easier comparisons across residences.
- Staffing and nursing leadership requirements: Ensuring every assisted living facility has access to licensed nursing support and appropriate leadership training.
- Clear assessment practices: Consistent evaluations of resident needs with clear notice of any changes in care or costs.
- Affordability task force: Formation of a task force to explore models that expand access for low- and middle-income older adults.
Healey said she is taking immediate action to begin implementing most of the report’s regulatory and administrative recommendations.
“Every older adult deserves a safe home and peace of mind, and every family deserves transparency and accountability,” Healey said. “The heartbreaking tragedy at Gabriel House showed us that we cannot wait to strengthen protections for assisted living residents.”
The commission also recommended legislative action to further strengthen resident safety and consumer protections, including establishing a dedicated funding mechanism to expand state oversight and public reporting, authorizing certified medication aides in assisted living settings and creating a statewide registry for assisted living executive directors.
The final report also urges a review of assisted living facility classifications and modernization of building code requirements, as well as the creation of an assisted living residence task force focused on expanding access for low- and middle-income older adults.
In a statement, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said the recommendations would enhance safety statewide.
“I would like to thank the commission for their thoughtful review of existing policies and procedures and for the recommendations outlined in this report that will provide for important enhanced safety measures for all residents of assisted living centers throughout the state in the aftermath of the tragic Gabriel House fire,” he said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW