CALA Facility Operations Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An assisted living facility is planning a renovation that will create construction noise during daytime hours. What is the primary obligation to residents during this project?
- Reduce room rates for residents affected by noise during construction
- Notify residents and families in advance and minimize disruption to care routines (Correct answer)
- Halt all renovation projects until the facility census drops below 50%
- Obtain written consent from every resident before any construction begins
Correct answer: Notify residents and families in advance and minimize disruption to care routines
Advance notification and minimizing disruption to care routines respects resident rights while allowing necessary facility improvements to proceed.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a facility's preventive maintenance (PM) schedule?
- To document repairs after equipment has already failed
- To systematically service equipment before failures occur, extending lifespan and ensuring safety (Correct answer)
- To justify capital expenditure requests to the board of directors
- To satisfy state surveyors during annual inspections only
Correct answer: To systematically service equipment before failures occur, extending lifespan and ensuring safety
A preventive maintenance schedule proactively services equipment at regular intervals to prevent failures, extend useful life, and maintain a safe environment for residents.
Question 3: A facility's generator fails to start during a monthly test. What is the required follow-up action?
- Remove the generator from the maintenance schedule since it is outdated
- Report the failure to state licensing immediately and suspend all operations
- Have a qualified technician service the generator and conduct a follow-up test before the next scheduled test (Correct answer)
- Continue operations normally since power outages are rare
Correct answer: Have a qualified technician service the generator and conduct a follow-up test before the next scheduled test
A failed generator test requires prompt service by a qualified technician and a successful retest to ensure emergency power is available when needed.
Question 4: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what accessibility requirement applies to doorways in common areas of an assisted living facility?
- Doorways must have automatic sliding doors in all areas
- Doorways must provide a minimum clear width of 32 inches when the door is open at 90 degrees (Correct answer)
- All doorways must be at least 48 inches wide to accommodate hospital beds
- ADA does not apply to privately owned assisted living facilities
Correct answer: Doorways must provide a minimum clear width of 32 inches when the door is open at 90 degrees
The ADA requires a minimum 32-inch clear width when a door is open at 90 degrees, ensuring wheelchair users can pass through doorways in accessible spaces.
Question 5: A facility manager receives bids from three contractors for a major plumbing repair. The lowest bid is 40% below the other two. What should the manager do?
- Award the contract to the lowest bidder immediately to save money
- Reject the lowest bid without review since it is too low
- Investigate the low bid for completeness, scope accuracy, and contractor credentials before making a decision (Correct answer)
- Award the contract to the second-lowest bidder as a compromise
Correct answer: Investigate the low bid for completeness, scope accuracy, and contractor credentials before making a decision
An unusually low bid may indicate missing scope, use of substandard materials, or unlicensed work — thorough investigation before awarding protects the facility from poor quality outcomes.
Question 6: When a state surveyor arrives unannounced to inspect the facility, what is the correct protocol for the administrator or designee?
- Ask the surveyor to return when the administrator is available
- Request a 24-hour delay to prepare necessary records
- Greet the surveyor professionally, verify their credentials, and cooperate fully with the inspection (Correct answer)
- Contact the facility's attorney before allowing the surveyor to enter
Correct answer: Greet the surveyor professionally, verify their credentials, and cooperate fully with the inspection
State surveyors have the legal right to conduct unannounced inspections; administrators must cooperate fully after verifying the surveyor's official credentials.
Question 7: A facility notices its water heating system is not consistently reaching the required temperature to prevent Legionella bacteria growth. What is the recommended minimum hot water temperature at the water heater?
- 100°F (38°C)
- 110°F (43°C)
- 120°F (49°C)
- 140°F (60°C) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 140°F (60°C)
Maintaining hot water at the heater at 140°F (60°C) kills Legionella bacteria; distribution to resident fixtures uses anti-scald mixing valves to prevent burns.
CALA Facility Operations Management 3
An assisted living facility is planning a renovation that will create construction noise during daytime hours.
What is the primary obligation to residents during this project?