President Trump announced steps Thursday aimed at protecting nursing-home residents, staff and other seniors from the coronavirus outbreak.
At least 7,000 of the 61,000 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. have occurred at nursing homes. Mr. Trump said the administration’s actions will include shipments by FEMA of extra personal protective equipment to all 15,400 certified nursing homes nationwide.
The administration also is directing $81 million from the March 27 CARES Act to increase inspections of nursing homes.
“Things are happening at the nursing homes that we’re not happy about,” Mr. Trump said. “We don’t want it to happen, so we’re checking that out very carefully and very methodically.”
The administration also is finalizing a rule requiring nursing homes to post testing data online, and to report cases to their residents and family members.
The president also is establishing a commission on safety and quality in nursing homes.
“My administration will never waver in its relentless commitment to American seniors,” Mr. Trump said. “We owe them a sacred and unbreakable obligation, and we will fulfill that obligation.”
Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, disputed Mr. Trump’s claim that the administration is taking “special care” of nursing homes and seniors.
“The time for talk, symbolism, and proclamations has passed,” she said. “The only way to avert this slow-motion catastrophe is to provide meaningful amounts of PPE, as well as effective and efficient testing and a comprehensive approach to supporting older adults and the workers who care for them.”
As for the commission, she said, “We need more than a post-war-type commission to examine a tragic battle — because the nation’s nursing home and aging services providers are still on the front line fighting — and it feels like we are fighting alone.”
She also said the government has offered “practically nothing” for millions of other older Americans being cared for outside of nursing homes in assisted living, HUD-assisted housing for low-income older adults, life plan communities, and hospices.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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