AARP INDIANA STATEMENT ON INDIANA’S COVID-19 LONG-TERM CARE DASHBOARD

(Indianapolis, IN) – Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, AARP Indiana and other stakeholders advocated for the release of long-term care facility-specific data on COVID-19 cases and deaths.

On July 1, Dr. Dan Rusyniak, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Chief Medical Officer, announced that this data, reaching back to March 1, would be made publicly available and a fully- interactive public dashboard would be created.

Today, during Governor Eric Holcomb’s COVID-19 press briefing, the dashboard was made public on Indiana’s coronavirus website (coronavirus.in.gov).

Please see below for a full statement from AARP Indiana State Director Sarah Waddle:

“It has taken some time to arrive at this point, but we’re pleased that Hoosiers finally have access to this data. Transparency has never been more critical, and this dashboard can be an important tool for both Hoosier families deciding on care for their loved ones, and for local leaders deciding on the deployment of critical resources like PPE and testing. 

“As we have seen since the state began releasing the preliminary numbers last month, there are more COVID-19 related deaths linked to long-term care facilities than previously reported. While these increases can be attributed to including earlier data from more facilities, the fact remains that long-term care residents and staff now make up more than 60 percent of COVID-19 related deaths in Indiana. By releasing the facility-level data, we’re finally getting an accurate picture of what has been happening in facilities during this health crisis.

“We will continue to monitor the numbers closely and work with the state to keep older Hoosiers safe.”

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About AARP Indiana

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into 'Real Possibilities' by changing the way America defines aging. With staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and promote the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare security, financial security and personal fulfillment. The Indiana office has been involved in issues affecting Hoosiers ages 50+, including providing more assistance for family caregivers, encouraging retirement savings, and encouraging local leaders to make their communities more livable. To learn more visit www.aarp.org/in or follow @aarpindiana on Twitter and Facebook.