Larry’s Law

McKnight’s had an article about “no lift” policies in assisted living facility. A no lift policy requires caregivers to ignore helping vulnerable adults under their care and supervision. This issue arose after a tragic case in Minnesota.

After falling from his scooter in an assisted living facility, Larry Thompson was pinned against the wall. No one helped him, and he soon died due to suffocation. The facility was cited by the Minnesota Department of Health for neglect, as its egregious fall polices directed staff members only to call 911 and not to touch a resident after a fall.

Larry’s Law was passed in Minnesota in June 2026 to prevent tragic deaths like these, as it calls on senior living facilities to develop plans for immediate staff member intervention in medical emergencies by August 1, 2027.

Many bereaved families and hardened plaintiff litigators know just how dangerous falls can be. Time is of the utmost importance in saving the lives of our loved ones. For this reason, people are demanding nursing home staff to do something.

In other states, similar bans on no lift policies have taken effect in what has proven to be a growing movement.

Several cities are adopting ordinances and fees that end these dangerous no-lift policies. In Decatur, Illinois, assisted living operators are charged $500 if the fire department is called in to assist, encouraging staff to take lifesaving action. Stirling, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; and Tacoma, Washington all passed similar fees.

Other ordinances took the frequency of calls into consideration, with Anchorage, Alaska allowing one call assist for free with the next call receiving a $250 fee. Kansas City, Missouri instituted a flexible fee for repeated calls.

With these state and local laws, assisted living facilities will have to assess their own preparedness to respond to their residents’ falls. While this will not end the neglect that is rampant in nursing homes, it is a step in the right direction.