A difficult act to follow.

For the second consecutive year, we bring you our annual Guide to New Products. This year, it's with a focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This important piece of legislation continues to cause problems for nursing home owners and operators. Most nursing homes register hundreds of small violations, according to Cynthia Leibrock, a Livermore, Colo., an interior designer quoted in our feature on the disabilities law (which begins on page 16). Regulations and restrictions vary from state to state. In addition, Federal ADA standards and state building codes differ, and state building codes aren't uniform from place to place.

It all adds up to numerous opportunities for violations. That's why so many nursing homes register hundreds of these small violations. Even though these violations may be small, they can still be harmful to your residents. A Dutch door, for example, could hinder a blind patient who would not be able to discern between two halves of a door that open separately.

We provide a copy of the act in the article as a helpful aid. The act and the information in the article are guides to consider as you peruse and purchase from our Guide to New Products. It could save you a costly lawsuit, which has become routine procedure for disability act enforcement.

Most lawsuits can be stopped through preventive measures. Experts in our feature suggest hiring ADA experts to survey a facility to identify potential violations. It is always far cheaper to practice prevention rather than treat or defend a problem.

We hope this guide serves to protect you and your residents from harm.