Minnesota veteran’s death in assisted living sparks new legislation on falls

A new bill aims to reform how assisted living facilities in Minnesota handle emergencies, including when an elderly resident falls.

The legislation is in direct response to reporting by the FOX 9 Investigators which found facilities have implemented "no lift" or "no touch" policies.

Larry Thompson, 79, died last March after he slowly fell off his electric scooter at Meadow Ridge Senior Living in Golden Valley as staff "watched idly" instead of helping him. Thompson died from positional asphyxiation after he was trapped with his neck against the wall.

"They clearly weren’t trained, or they were poorly trained, or they trained in practices that were just downright inhumane," said Kristine Sundberg of Elder Voices Advocates.

Sundberg is now pushing for new legislation which would increase required training for unlicensed workers at assisted living facilities, including requiring a person trained in emergency response be on site 24/7.

Lawmakers introduced a bill this week that would also increase fines against facilities for egregious behavior and require facilities to be more transparent about their policies.