67.6 Another Business or Activity Located in a Program

The next rule to review in the Assisted Living (AL) rules under 481-67 is another business or activity located in the program. If you have an additional business or activity located in your assisted living, you need to ensure that it is in a designated part of the physical structure. The business or activity conducted in the designated part of the building shall not interfere with the use of the program by tenants or with services provided and it should not reduce access, space, services, or staff available to tenants or necessary to meet the needs of tenants.

With limited resources and space, providers may choose to repurpose existing areas in current buildings to provide additional services such as outpatient therapy or home care services. However, when you’re implementing these services, you need to ensure that the additional business doesn’t impose on the tenants that are residing in the level of care that the service will reside in. This may require separate entrances/exits that do not travel through resident/tenant care areas, office space, etc.

This rule also indicates that providers must not use resources (such as staff) that are providing care to the tenants in your building. If you have any questions about repurposing space in your existing building, LeadingAge Iowa recommends reaching out to your program coordinator at the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing and as a reminder, if any remodeling of areas is completed it will need life safety code approval.