As used in this Article:

(1) Abuse. – The willful or grossly negligent infliction of physical pain, injury, or mental anguish, unreasonable confinement, or the willful or grossly negligent deprivation by the administrator or staff of an adult care home of services which are necessary to maintain mental and physical health.

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(2) Administrator. – A person approved by the Department of Health and Human Services as an assisted living administrator under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-288.14 or as an adult care home administrator under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-288.14A, who has the responsibility for the total operation of a licensed adult care home.

(3) Adult care home. – An assisted living residence in which the housing management provides 24-hour scheduled and unscheduled personal care services to two or more residents, either directly or for scheduled needs, through formal written agreement with licensed home care or hospice agencies. Some licensed adult care homes provide supervision to persons with cognitive impairments whose decisions, if made independently, may jeopardize the safety or well-being of themselves or others and therefore require supervision. Medication in an adult care home may be administered by designated trained staff. Adult care homes that provide care to two to six unrelated residents are commonly called family care homes.

(3a) Adult care home resident discharge team. – A team consisting of one member from the department of social services and one member from the local management entity responsible for assisting in finding an appropriate placement for discharged residents, as established by the county department of social services in every county which contains an adult care home licensed under this Chapter.

(4) Amenities. – Services such as meals, housekeeping, transportation, and grocery shopping that do not involve hands-on personal care.

(5) Assisted living residence. – Any group housing and services program for two or more unrelated adults, by whatever name it is called, that makes available, at a minimum, one meal a day and housekeeping services and provides personal care services directly or through a formal written agreement with one or more licensed home care or hospice agencies. The Department may allow nursing service exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Settings in which services are delivered may include self-contained apartment units or single or shared room units with private or area baths. Assisted living residences are to be distinguished from nursing homes subject to provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 131E-102 There are three types of assisted living residences: adult care homes, adult care homes that serve only elderly persons, and multiunit assisted housing with services. As used in this section, “elderly person” means:

a. Any person who has attained the age of 55 years or older and requires assistance with activities of daily living, housing, and services, or

b. Any adult who has a primary diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia who requires assistance with activities of daily living, housing, and services provided by a licensed Alzheimer’s and dementia care unit.

(6) Compensatory agent. – A spouse, relative, or other caretaker who lives with a resident and provides care to a resident.

(7) Department. – The Department of Health and Human Services unless some other meaning is clearly indicated from the context.

(8) Exploitation. – The illegal or improper use of an aged or disabled resident or the aged or disabled resident’s resources for another’s profit or advantage.

(9) Family care home. – An adult care home having two to six residents. The structure of a family care home may be no more than two stories high, and none of the aged or physically disabled persons being served there may be housed in the upper story without provision for two direct exterior ground-level accesses to the upper story.

(9a) Hearing Unit. – The chief hearing officer within the Division of Health Benefits designated to preside over hearings regarding the transfer and discharge of adult care home residents, and the chief hearing officer’s staff.

(10) Multiunit assisted housing with services. – An assisted living residence in which hands-on personal care services and nursing services which are arranged by housing management are provided by a licensed home care or hospice agency through an individualized written care plan. The housing management has a financial interest or financial affiliation or formal written agreement which makes personal care services accessible and available through at least one licensed home care or hospice agency. The resident has a choice of any provider, and the housing management may not combine charges for housing and personal care services. All residents, or their compensatory agents, must be capable, through informed consent, of entering into a contract and must not be in need of 24-hour supervision. Assistance with self-administration of medications may be provided by appropriately trained staff when delegated by a licensed nurse according to the home care agency’s established plan of care. Multiunit assisted housing with services programs are required to register annually with the Division of Health Service Regulation. Multiunit assisted housing with services programs are required to provide a disclosure statement to the Division of Health Service Regulation. The disclosure statement is required to be a part of the annual rental contract that includes a description of the following requirements:

a. Emergency response system;

b. Charges for services offered;

c. Limitations of tenancy;

d. Limitations of services;

e. Resident responsibilities;

f. Financial/legal relationship between housing management and home care or hospice agencies;

g. A listing of all home care or hospice agencies and other community services in the area;

h. An appeals process; and

i. Procedures for required initial and annual resident screening and referrals for services.

Continuing care retirement communities, subject to regulation by the Department of Insurance under Chapter 58 of the N.C. Gen. Stat., and temporary family health care structures, as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-915, are exempt from the regulatory requirements for multiunit assisted housing with services programs.

(11) Neglect. – The failure to provide the services necessary to maintain a resident’s physical or mental health.

(12) Personal care services. – Any hands-on services allowed to be performed by In-Home Aides II or III as outlined in Department rules.

(13) Registration. – The submission by a multiunit assisted housing with services provider of a disclosure statement containing all the information as outlined in subdivision (10) of this section.

(14) Resident. – A person living in an assisted living residence for the purpose of obtaining access to housing and services provided or made available by housing management.

(15) Secretary. – The Secretary of Health and Human Services unless some other meaning is clearly indicated from the context. (2009-462, ss. 1(e), 3(a); 2011-272, s. 1; 2014-94, s. 4; 2018-5, s. 11G.1(a); 2019-81, s. 15(a); 2022-62, s. 24.)