AARP Pushes Five Point Plan In Response To Nursing Home Crisis

Marek Uliasz

AARP is intensifying its efforts to protect the lives of nursing home residents and staff. Recently, we have developed a five point plan to prevent further COVID-19 deaths in the nation’s nursing homes and need to communicate this plan to Congress as soon as possible before they leave on August recess. More than 56,000 people living and working in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the United States have died as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and Governor DeWine informed us that Ohio is experiencing a record increase of COVID-19 cases. It is extremely important that nursing homes adjust their safety precautions accordingly with the recent spike in cases across the nation. Read on to learn about AARP’s Five Point Plan to ensure the health and wellness of residents, families and staff.

Yesterday, AARP Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond expressed her outrage regarding the inordinate amount of nursing home deaths and is demanding government officials make serious changes: “We are strongly urging Congress and the Administration to provide dedicated funding and strong policy to protect the residents of long-term care facilities, paired with transparency and accountability to ensure that funds are being used to save lives.”

In a letter delivered today, LeaMond called upon the Senate to address five critical points in the next coronavirus care package:
1. Ensure regular, ongoing testing and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE)
2. Create transparency through daily, public reporting of cases and deaths in facilities, communication with families about discharges and transfers, and funding accountability
3. Require facilities to provide and facilitate virtual visitation
4. Ensure better care for residents through adequate staffing and in-person access to long-term care ombudsmen, and
5. Reject blanket immunity for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities related to COVID-19.

AARP will be pushing this campaign through a national television and digital ad blitz to effectively reach Congress. Tele-town halls will continue and grassroots activists will be mobilized to contact the Administration.

We need your help in communicating this urgent request. Currently, AARP members have sent over 620,000 messages to Congress expressing the severity of this issue. We cannot let up in this fight; you can be the change that saves lives.

To contact Congress and fight for the protection of nursing home residents, staff and their families, visit aarp.org/nursinghomes