1. (1) Personal services must include protective care of the resident, responsibility for the safety of the resident when in the facility and the ability and readiness to intervene if crises arise. Personal services do not include nursing or medical care. Personal services must be provided by employees of the home.
2. (2) Assistance in reading labels, opening bottles, reminding residents of their medication, observing the resident while taking medication and checking the self-administered dose against the dosage shown on the prescription are permissible in the self-administration of medications. FOR THE AGED
3. (3) All medications shall be stored so that no resident can obtain another resident’s medication.
4. (4) Each Tier 1 Home for the Aged shall provide access to laundry arrangements for linens for the home and for residents’ clothing.
5. (5) Residents shall have free access to the kitchen area and at least three (3) meals per day.
6. (6) Assigned storage space for each resident to store their foods and ingredients for both perishable and non-perishable foods.
7. (7) Sufficient food provision capabilities and dining space shall be provided.
8. (8) Appropriate equipment and utensils for cooking and serving food shall be provided in sufficient quantity to serve all residents and must be in good repair.
9. (9) The kitchen shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
10. (10) The home must have a telephone accessible to all residents, which is capable of meeting the needs of the resident, to make and receive personal telephone calls twenty-four (24) hours per day.

11. (11) Should the licensee admit a resident who has loss of hearing, the licensee must ensure that when the sounding of the standard fire alarm is not sufficient to notify a sleeping person who has hearing loss of the need to evacuate, the licensee must then provide a means of such notification which:

    1. (a) Is independent of personal, physical contact, or notification by staff or other persons during sleep;
    2. (b) Provides some mechanical means of sensory notification during sleep; and
    3. (c) Is consistent in notifying the resident of the need to evacuate.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-4-103, 52-1-104, 52-1-105, 52-1-107, 52-2-301, 52-2-302, 52-2-403, 52-2-404, 52- 2-406, 52-2-407, and 68-11-201. Administrative History: Emergency rules filed August 22, 2025; effective through February 18, 2026. New rules filed November 18, 2025; effective February 16, 2026.