For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 16-5R-3

  • board: means a board of health serving one or more counties or one or more municipalities or a combination thereof. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
  • Department: means the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources: Provided, That beginning January 1, 2024, as used in this chapter, "department" and "Department of Health and Human Resources" means the Department of Health. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
  • Secretary: means the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources: Provided, That beginning January 1, 2024, as used in this chapter, "secretary" means the secretary of the Department of Health. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10

(a) "Alzheimer's disease" means a diagnosis of presenile dementia or senile dementia-Alzheimer type (SDAT), characterized by confusion, memory failure, disorientation, restlessness, agnosia, speech disturbances, inability to carry out purposeful movements and hallucinosis.

(b) "Alzheimer's Special Care Unit or Program," means any facility that secures, segregates or provides a special program or special unit for residents with a diagnosis of probable alzheimer's disease or a related disorder and that advertises, markets or otherwise promotes the facility as providing specialized alzheimer's or dementia care services.

(c) "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Resources.

(d) "Facility" means any nursing home or facility, residential board and care home, personal care home, assisted living facility, adult congregate living facility, home health agency, adult day care center, hospice or adult foster home situate or operating in this state.

(e) "Resident" means an individual living in a facility that offers an alzheimer's special care unit or program.

(f) "Secretary" means the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources.