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This opinion article argues that greater integration of IPE and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) into long-term care training programs can significantly improve communication, reduce errors, and enhance person-centered care. Assisted living communities face complex challenges, including managing chronic conditions, supporting cognitive issues, changes in resident acuity, and addressing psychosocial needs. IPCP equips staff with the skills to navigate these challenges collectively, leading to more coordinated and effective care. While barriers such as scheduling challenges and institutional silos frequently persist, the potential benefits of IPCP include broader integration of IPCP towards improved resident outcomes, resident and staff satisfaction, and operational efficiencies that warrant its broader adoption. This article calls for greater prioritization of IPCP in assisted living facility settings to enhance resident outcomes and staff collaboration.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fragi.2026.1870661","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,2]],"date-time":"2026-10-02T05:35:29Z","timestamp":1790919329000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Opportunities to enhance assisted living facility care quality through interprofessional collaborative practice"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"7","author":[{"given":"David","family":"Hage","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Work, Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging, Marieb College of Health and Human Services, Florida Gulf Coast University","place":["Fort Myers, FL, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rekha","family":"Pudur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Sciences, Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging, Marieb College of Health and Human Services, Florida Gulf Coast University","place":["Fort Myers, FL, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jan","family":"Golembiski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Work, Marieb College of Health and Human Services, Florida Gulf Coast University","place":["Fort Myers, FL, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1957","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1532-5415.2012.04187.x","article-title":"Patient-centered care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions: a stepwise approach from the American geriatrics society: American geriatrics society expert panel on the care of older adults with multimorbidity","volume":"60","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. 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