Assistance for assisted living

"Demand is soaring" for assisted-living facilities, the Wall Street Journal (Sept. 2, B1) reported, creating waiting lists and rising prices. The article sounds a cautionary note when shopping and provides the web site for the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), "the assisted living voice of the American Health Care Association (AHCA), the nation's largest organization representing long term care," for consumer information.

In March, NCAL published Assisted Living State Regulatory Review 2006 (pdf, 784KB, 180p.), with information for each state.

In Hawaii, the Dept. of Health (DOH) has an Elder Care section that includes Health Care Assurance (OHCA), which licenses health care facilities.