Based on a review of assisted living laws of California and 11 other states, California's assisted living policy is significantly out of date. An assisted living resident today is likely to have significant care needs, but California's law in general has low standards for quality of care. Unlike many other states, California has not adjusted adequately to the sharp increase in residents' care needs over the past 10 to 15 years. California's assisted living law was enacted in 1985, and has been amended only intermittently since then. It requires significant revision in order to keep pace with the new realities of assisted living
