Congress must take action to protect Hoosiers in long-term care

Time is running out for elected officials to help stop COVID-19 deaths in our nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

With little time left until the district work period begins this month, it’s time for Congress to take meaningful action to save the lives of nursing home residents.

“While there has been progress towards transparency during this crisis, there is still much more to be done to help our most vulnerable Hoosiers and their families,” Sarah Waddle, AARP Indiana State Director, said.

“Congress can take strong steps this month to save lives and give families peace of mind.”

Before lawmakers leave Washington, they must come together to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 response package that provides funding and protects long-term care residents with five key requirements:

• Ensure regular, ongoing testing and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Create transparency focused on daily, public reporting of cases and deaths in facilities, communication with families when loved ones are discharged or transferred, and accountability for how billions of dollars in federal funding is spent.
• Require access to facilitated virtual visitation.
• Provide better care for residents through adequate staffing, oversight, and access to in-person formal advocates, called long-term care ombudsmen.
• Stop attempts to provide blanket immunity for long-term care facilities related to COVID-19.

The toll of COVID-19 on our nursing homes and long-term care facilities is nothing short of a tragedy. Here in Indiana, and according to some media reports, as much as 60 percent of coronavirus deaths are from within long-term care facilities. Nationwide, at least 62,000 residents and staff have died.

No state can combat this virus alone.  Families want Congress to act now to save seniors’ lives.