Besides behaviors, what would be other reasons a facility may think they are not able to meet your LO's needs?

It depends on what the facility provides. Some facilities may believe that they are not able to provide adequate nursing care and staffing for the needs of an elder; in that case they may be able to refer you to another facility that does. Not all facilities have memory care available so that they cannot take anyone who may wander. That is just two things. Honestly it doesn't matter what their reasons are and likely there are lists of 100s of possible reasons. Any facility you visit will explain their requirements to you. This is a good question to ask each place as you go along visiting.

Complexity - time, cost, risk of something going wrong with the potential for litigation and/or reputational damage if not ultimately liability.

I've been wondering about this: could it be, do you think, that the better facilities, which have no shortage of applicants and therefore no financial incentive to accept individual new residents, are simply finding it easier to say no than to take the risk? It almost sounds as if BIL just keeps being put in the "too difficult" tray.

Not sure

Too high of an insurance risk, I am surprised that a MC facility would not consider taking him in. Must be more to this story.

I'm not sure what the implication is in your question, but, your profile says your LO has dementia. Your post below says that you are only looking at Memory Care units and have not been able to locate any facility that will accept him. \

I would request information from the long term care licensing board in your state about what facilities might be equipped to meet his needs and accept him. I know that in NC there are several state sponsored long term care facilities for residents who have dementia, that are designed especially for those residents who pose substantial need for attention and security. I actually know one person whose father has lived in such a facility for quite a few years. She was very satisfied with his care. These facilities have stringent guidelines, but, sound like a blessing, if your LO needs that level of care. If you are in NC, PM me and I will tell you the names of those facilities.

AlvaDeer

Thank you for being so very sincere with me.

How old he is? Most facilities can afford to be picky. They assess whether or not a potential new resident fits in with the other residents or if he will disturb their apple cart. If your LO comes across as high maintenance, is obese, has serious comorbidities, lacks personal hygiene, is missing teeth, has bad breath, has rude habits/tics, isn't mobile, uses vulgar language, talks loudly/shouts, is a messy eater, then he comes across as a challenging "fit" and most facilities will not accept him.

Does the family have a history of legal proceedings against medical facilities or medical providers.

Even among memory care facilities,
some won't accept folks who might elope
some don't dispense antipsychotic meds
some don't tolerate any unruly behavior

choices become very limited especially for men who become hard to handle
lewy body dementia is extremely difficult to manage

I've always thought of mom's private pay facility as a last resort placement before a psych hospital based on what goes on there but a recent change in management may change that
mom is 96, and immobile but has been banned from the dining room for being too loud

the facilities who are turning you down should give you a reason that can help you - have you contacted your county area on aging to help you identify placement possibilities ?

A facility can refuse to admit anyone with a felony conviction.

Not saying this is the problem with your Bil, Haileybug. Just trying to answer
yo u r question in general.

Thank you to everyone for responding. I appreciate it so much. Now, I have a better understanding as to why my husband and I have not been able to get BIL in a MC facility closer to home, instead of him having to be isolated from family and the people he knows.

It is more about what is in it for the facilities instead of what they can do for these pitiful vulnerable people. Sad times we live in. Just sad

As a last resort, and perhaps for no more reason than getting a specific answer to your specific “why” question, I might consider contacting an area politician, if possible, someone who had espoused the cause of vulnerable elderly who have fallen through the cracks.

You might not get the solution you’re hoping for, but perhaps you’d get closer to the “why” for your own satisfaction.

I also believe it has something to do with stereotyping diagnoses. Staff at facilities are going by "how they feel" someone will be. This is not fair to the person.

The level of care. A Memory Care facility may not be able to use equipment to help transfer someone and if the staff thinks help is necessary your LO becomes a 2 person transfer. When that becomes unsafe and equipment is needed then the only option might be a Skilled Nursing Facility. It depends on the regulations as to what the facility can and can not use.
Many Memory Care facilities will not accept someone with a Feeding Tube for several reasons, so that would require a SNF (skilled nursing facility)
There may be problems with catheters,Trach, again SNF
There are many many reasons that a facility can refuse someone.