Iowa Code ch. 231B § 231B.1
Definitions
Operative Text
1. “Department” means the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing or the department’s designee. 2. “Elder” means a person sixty years of age or older. 3. “Elder group home” means a single-family residence that is operated by a person who is providing room, board, and personal care and may provide health-related services to three through five elders who are not related to the person providing the service within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity, and which is staffed by an on-site manager twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. 4. “Governmental unit” means the state, or any county, municipality, or other political subdivision or any department, division, board, or other agency of any of these entities. 5. “Health-related care” means services provided by a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse, on a part-time or intermittent basis, and services provided by other licensed health care professionals, on a part-time or intermittent basis. 6. “Medication setup” means assistance with various steps of medication administration to support a tenant’s autonomy, which may include but is not limited to routine prompting, cueing and reminding, opening containers or packaging at the direction of the tenant, reading instructions or other label information, or transferring medications from the original container into suitable medication dispensing containers, reminder containers, or medication cups. 7. “Occupancy agreement” means a written agreement entered into between an elder group home and a tenant that clearly describes the rights and responsibilities of the elder group home and the tenant, and other information required by rule. “Occupancy agreement” may include a separate signed lease and signed service agreement. 8. “Personal care” means assistance with the essential activities of daily living which may include but are not limited to transferring, bathing, personal hygiene, dressing, grooming, and housekeeping that are essential to the health and welfare of a tenant. 9. “Tenant” means an individual who receives elder group home services through a certified elder group home. 10. “Tenant advocate” means the office of long-term care ombudsman established in section 231.42. 11. “Tenant’s legal representative” means a person appointed by the court to act on behalf of a tenant, or a person acting pursuant to a power of attorney.
Iowa Code ch. 231B § 231B.1 establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout Chapter 231B, which governs elder group homes in Iowa. It defines key terms such as 'elder' (a person aged 60 or older), 'elder group home' (a single-family residence providing room, board, and personal care to three through five unrelated elders with 24/7 on-site staffing), and 'tenant' (an individual receiving services through a certified elder group home). Other defined terms—including 'occupancy agreement,' 'personal care,' 'medication setup,' and 'tenant advocate'—set the scope and meaning of rights and obligations described elsewhere in the chapter.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of elder group homes in Iowa should be familiar with the definitions established in Iowa Code ch. 231B § 231B.1, as these terms govern how the rest of Chapter 231B is interpreted and applied. A compliant elder group home, for example, serves between three and five elders who are not related to the operator within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity, maintains 24/7 on-site management, and enters into written occupancy agreements that clearly describe both parties' rights and responsibilities. Understanding terms like 'personal care,' 'medication setup,' and 'health-related care' helps operators distinguish the types of services they are authorized to provide and document accordingly.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Individuals living in a certified elder group home in Iowa are defined as 'tenants' under Iowa Code ch. 231B § 231B.1, which means the protections and rights described throughout Chapter 231B apply to them. The same section identifies a 'tenant advocate'—the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman established under Iowa Code § 231.42—as a resource available to tenants, and recognizes that a tenant may also have a legal representative, such as a court-appointed guardian or someone acting under a power of attorney. Tenants or their representatives who have questions about their rights under an occupancy agreement or the services being provided may consider reaching out to the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman or a tenant-rights organization familiar with elder care regulations.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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