Senior living facilities ‘no lift’ policies could be banned by state laws

Senior living facilities ‘no lift’ policies

Advocates for the elderly in Minnesota are drafting legislation that aims to address “no lift" or “no touch" policies at assisted living facilities, which instruct staff to not touch an elderly resident after a fall.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Advocates for the elderly in Minnesota are drafting legislation that aims to address "no lift" or "no touch" policies at assisted living facilities, which instruct staff to not touch an elderly resident after a fall.

More than 800 calls for fallen elderly adults at assisted living facilities in Oshkosh, Wisconsin 

Big picture view:

The "no touch" or "no lift" policies – which are prevalent in Minnesota and across the country – are raising concerns about both resident safety and the strain it places on first responders, according to interviews, dispatch data, state health records and public testimony reviewed by the FOX 9 Investigators. 

Across the country, the assisted living industry has strongly opposed reform at the state level – including when Arizona lawmakers passed a state law in 2021 that prevents "no touch" policies. 

Wisconsin is set to consider possible legislation this year.

What we know:

In northeast Wisconsin, emergency crews frequently respond to 911 calls because of fallen elderly adults throughout the City of Oshkosh. 

The fire department has responded to more than 800 fall calls since 2020, specifically from assisted living facilities.

Oshkosh Fire Chief Tim Heiman said the calls have become more common as some facilities enforce "no touch" policies where staff are instructed not to lift a fallen resident or administer CPR. 

"They basically would activate the 911 system, and they would then stand by and not provide any interventions to the individual," Heiman said in a recent interview with the FOX 9 Investigators.

Wisconsin State Rep. Lori Palmeri first learned about the so-called ‘no touch" policies when her late mother fell at an assisted living facility. 

"She’s like I’m not hurt, I don’t need to go to the hospital," Palmeri said. "Yet no one there would lift – no one there would do anything for fear of their corporate policies." 

Palmeri described the practice as "a betrayal of the public trust" and is pushing legislation at the Wisconsin State Capitol to address the problem. 

She’s poised to introduce a pair of bills that would require more training for staff, provide grant funding for lift devices, and impose a duty of care at assisted living facilities. 

Minnesota facility’s ‘erroneous’ no touch policy blamed for death of grandfather 

Why you should care:

The FOX 9 Investigators traveled to Wisconsin after revealing an "erroneous no touch" policy at a facility in Minnesota.

Staff at Meadow Ridge Senior Living in Golden Valley were instructed to call 911 and to not touch a fallen resident, according to a Minnesota Department of Health maltreatment report. 

The facility’s policy was blamed, in part, for the March 2025 death of Larry Thompson, 79, who slowly suffocated with his neck pinned against the wall after he awkwardly fell off his electric scooter, according to the state investigation. 

The facility and its staff were cited for neglect after failing to render any aid as Thompson struggled to breathe.

"He did not die peacefully," said Thompson's daughter, Adrienne Sloan. "He died knowing that he was suffocating. He died knowing that nobody was coming to his aid and that he was by himself."

Assisted living industry fights against reform as states explore legislative fixes

What they're saying:

Donna Taylor of Livestream Complete Senior Living told Arizona lawmakers in 2021 that banning "no lift" policies would "increase costs to our seniors" and "deny seniors access to EMS services simply because they happen to reside in a senior community." She also expressed concerns that the move would expose facilities to more lawsuits. 

Meanwhile in Wisconsin, fire departments across the state are eager for a solution to the high volume of excessive non-emergency fall calls from assisted living facilities. 

"I think that a lot of times the staff at the facility is frustrated because they do want to help," said Oshkosh Fire Chief Heiman. "They do want to address the problem, but their hands are tied."