Section 146.210  Structural Requirements

 

a)         Building Construction

 

1)         An SLF's architectural plans shall conform to the current State building codes for the respective building type, local Fire and Life Safety Standards for health care occupancy or the 2000 National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code (NFPA) 101, Chapter 32, Residential Board and Care Occupancies, National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy MA 02269 (March 11, 2003, no later amendments or editions included) or local building codes if more stringent.

 

2)         An SLF shall meet accessibility standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 USC 12101 et seq.). If the facility is subject to the requirements of the Illinois Accessibility Code (71 Ill. Adm. Code 400), it shall be deemed residential or multi-story housing for determining the requirements under that Code.

 

3)         An SLF shall not have any apartments below grade level.

 

4)         A freestanding facility consisting of two or more stories with 75 or fewer units shall have a minimum of one elevator available for resident use. A freestanding facility consisting of two or more stories with 76 or more units shall have a minimum of two elevators available for resident use.

 

b)         Heating and Air Conditioning

 

1)         All residential apartments shall have individually controlled systems to maintain comfortable temperatures.

 

2)         Buildings shall provide a heating and air conditioning system in public areas to maintain comfortable temperatures.

 

c)         Illumination

            Illumination systems shall be installed and maintained to ensure sufficient lighting for general lighting, reading, night lighting for corridors, stairwells and emergency situations.  There shall be adequate illumination for outdoor areas.

 

d)         Resident Apartments General Requirements – Freestanding Facility

 

1)         Each single occupancy SLF apartment shall have no less than 300 square feet of living space, including closets and the bathroom.

 

2)         Each double occupancy SLF apartment shall have no less than 450 square feet of living space, including closets and the bathroom.

 

3)         Each apartment shall be equipped at a minimum with:

 

A)        A door that locks from the inside;

 

B)        A full bathroom as defined in this Section;

 

C)        An emergency call system as provided in Section 146.230(m);

 

D)        Heating and cooling controls;

           

E)        Wiring for private telephone lines;

 

F)         Access to cable television, satellite dish or master antenna that receives at least ten channels;

 

G)        A sink, microwave oven or stove, and refrigerator with a separate freezer compartment; and

 

H)        A separate bedroom for each unrelated occupant for SLFs approved for participation on or after October 18, 2004. Unrelated occupants may share an apartment with a single bedroom if requested, and agreed upon by the occupants.  An apartment shared by two occupants shall meet the minimum square footage required for double occupancy.

 

4)         An SLF shall have individual locked mailboxes located inside the building for each apartment.

 

5)         Each freestanding SLF shall consist of one building housing at least ten but no more than 150 apartments.

 

e)         Resident Apartments General Requirements – Rehabilitated Nursing Facilities

 

1)         Any nursing facility rehabilitating a portion of the facility to conform with SLF requirements shall convert a distinct part of existing facility space.

 

2)         Each single occupancy SLF apartment shall have no less than 160 square feet of living space, including closets and the bathroom.

 

3)         Each double occupancy SLF apartment shall have no less than 320 square feet of living space, including closets and the bathroom.

 

4)         Each apartment shall be equipped at a minimum with:

 

A)        A door that locks from the inside;

 

B)        A full bathroom as defined in this Section that may be between and shared by the adjoining apartment;

 

C)        An emergency call system as provided in Section 146.230(m);

 

D)        Heating and cooling controls;

           

E)        Wiring for private telephone lines;

 

F)         Access to cable television, satellite dish or master antenna that receives at least ten channels; and

 

G)        A sink, microwave oven or stove, and refrigerator with a separate freezer compartment.

 

5)         An SLF shall have individual locked mailboxes located inside the building for each apartment.

 

6)         Each rehabilitated nursing facility shall consist of a distinct part of an existing facility housing at least ten apartments but no more than 150 apartments.

 

f)         Apartment Bathrooms

 

1)         Each bathroom shall be equipped with:

 

A)        A toilet with grab bars sufficient to meet the needs of the resident;

 

B)        A sink;

 

C)        A bathtub and/or shower stall with grab bars sufficient to meet the needs of the resident;

 

D)        Hot and cold running water with faucets that meet all marking standards under residential building codes; and

 

E)        An emergency call system pursuant to Section 146.230(m).

 

2)         Each bathroom shall be a separate room and shall be designed to provide privacy.

           

g)         Closet Space

           

1)         Each apartment shall have minimum closet space of 90 cubic feet, or minimum floor dimensions of no less than 72 inches wide and 24 inches deep for each resident of the apartment.

 

2)         Each closet shall be equipped with a door.

 

h)         Doors

 

1)         All doors in residential apartments, including entrance doors, shall be wheelchair accessible.

 

2)         Entrance doors to apartments shall have locking devices that are accessible to the outside.

 

3)         Entrance doors to residential apartments shall open onto a public corridor.

 

4)         Entrance doors to each apartment shall be equipped with an "eye-view".

 

5)         All shared apartment bedrooms shall have doors.

 

i)          Windows

            All apartment windows shall be of transparent glass (except bathrooms) and large enough to permit viewing to the outside of the building.  Apartments shall have at least one window with a sill height that permits viewing from a seated position.

 

j)          Common Areas

 

1)         An SLF shall have a minimum of two common areas that provide residents with space for socialization.  The dining room may be used as one of the common areas.

 

2)         All common areas shall be accessible for wheelchair use and shall be designed and furnished to meet resident needs.

 

3)         Common areas shall be available for resident use at any time, provided such use does not disturb the health, safety, and well-being of other residents.  Access to private or public outdoor recreation areas shall be available to all residents.

 

4)         No less than one common area shall have ice for resident use at no charge.

 

5)         The SLF may have one common bathing room.  The common bathing room shall contain a toilet with grab bars sufficient to meet the needs of the residents, bathtub and a roll-in shower that is wheelchair accessible to allow a five foot turning radius or utilize the American National Standards Institute T-shape or Y-shape, both of which have a non-skid surface, transfer seat and grab bars.  Each bathing room shall have door locks to ensure privacy.

 

k)         Public Restrooms

 

1)         There shall be at least one public restroom that is handicapped accessible.

 

2)         All public restrooms shall be clean.

 

3)         All public restrooms shall contain toilet tissue, waste receptacles and hand drying means that cannot be reused.  Soap shall be provided in a manner that minimizes contamination.

 

l)          Public Telephone

            The SLF shall make available a handicapped accessible telephone that allows residents and others to conduct private conversations.

 

m)        Social and Recreational Areas

 

1)         Handicapped accessible public areas shall be provided for residents' social and recreational use.

 

2)         Social and recreational areas in rehabilitated nursing facilities shall be separate from those of the nursing facility.  Rehabilitated nursing facilities may use the SLF dining room as a social and recreational area.

 

n)         Kitchens

 

1)         SLF kitchens in rehabilitated nursing facilities may be shared with the nursing facility.

 

2)         Food shall be prepared on-site in a full service kitchen.  The food shall be freshly prepared each day and served in a central dining area.

 

3)         In addition to requirements found in any local health or food preparation ordinances, the SLF shall have a kitchen that provides:

 

A)        Storage for non-perishable foods and perishable foods;

 

B)        Food preparation areas with cleanable surfaces;

 

C)        Capacity for resident food distribution at the appropriate temperature;

 

D)        Kitchenware washing space as necessary to meet food service needs;

 

E)        Hand washing areas separate from food washing areas; and

 

F)         An area to store and clean garbage cans and carts.   

 

o)         Dining Areas

 

1)         The SLF shall have handicapped accessible dining space to accommodate residents.

 

2)         The dining area in rehabilitated nursing facilities shall be separate from the dining area of the nursing facility.

 

p)         Laundry Rooms

 

1)         Laundry rooms for residents' use:

 

A)        In addition to laundry services provided under Section 146.230, at least one accessible washer and dryer shall be provided for resident use at no cost.  The SLF shall be responsible for providing detergent and fabric softener at no cost to the residents.

 

B)        There shall be a sink for hand washing in the laundry area.

 

C)        Each laundry room shall contain an emergency call system as provided in Section 146.230(m).

 

2)         Laundry rooms for SLFs:

 

A)        For laundry done on-site by SLF staff, the laundry equipment shall be located in a separate room from that of the laundry room used by the residents.

 

B)        The SLF shall have space for laundry soiled with body secretions to be processed separately from other soiled linens and laundry.

 

C)        There shall be two sinks, one for hand washing that is separate from a sink that is to be used for laundry rinsing in the laundry area.

 

q)         Housekeeping and Maintenance Areas

            There shall be at least one lockable janitor closet in the building.  All janitor closets shall have a source of hot and cold running water.  Rehabilitated nursing facilities may use the same janitor closet as the nursing facility.

             

r)          Water Services

 

1)         The building water supply shall be taken from a water system that is constructed, protected, operated and maintained in conformance with State and local regulations.

 

2)         Water temperatures in the central kitchen and laundry used for sanitizing shall meet the standards of the local and State health departments.

 

3)         Hot and cold running water with adequate water pressure shall be maintained.

 

4)         Drinking water shall be accessible to residents at all times in no fewer than one common area and all residential apartments.

 

5)         The SLF shall maintain hot water temperatures between 95° and 120°F in resident rooms and any other areas of the SLF that are accessible to residents.  The SLF shall maintain a log or checklist to show that water temperatures are being checked at least monthly.  The SLF shall document steps taken to correct hot water temperatures found not to be within the required range.  The log or checklist should include, but not be limited to, the following:

 

A)        Areas of the SLF where water temperatures were checked.  This shall include a random sample of resident rooms;

 

B)        Date the checks were done; and

 

C)        Temperature of the water in the areas of the SLF that were checked.

 

s)         Waste Removal

 

1)         Liquid wastes shall be collected, stored, and disposed of in accordance with State building and health regulations.  Those liquid wastes resulting from compacting shall be disposed of as sewage.

 

2)         Sewage disposal shall be operated in compliance with State and local building and health department regulations.

 

3)         Solid waste containers for use inside and outside shall be insect-proof, rodent-proof, fire-proof, non-absorbent and water-tight containers with tight fitting lids.

 

4)         Indoor garbage containers shall be cleaned frequently enough to minimize the transmission of infection and attraction of insects and rodents.

 

5)         Garbage from the public areas of the building shall be collected daily, and garbage from the residential apartments shall be collected as needed.  All garbage shall be held in receptacles outside the building for removal on a regular schedule.  Garbage and trash shall be disposed of in accordance with local ordinances.

 

6)         The disposal of sharps shall be handled as follows: 

 

A)        SLF staff shall not dispose of sharps in wastebaskets found in resident rooms. 

 

B)        Sharps shall be disposed of in containers that are rigid and leak-resistant.  These include proper red biohazard containers, plastic laundry detergent containers, and metal coffee cans.  The SLF shall provide a container for residents that are independent with medications.

 

C)        If using a container other than the proper red biohazard container, the container shall be capped and taped prior to it being thrown in a garbage receptacle outside the SLF.

 

(Source:  Amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 11803, effective August 1, 2009)