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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release Novemeber 19, 2007 |
CONTACT:Stephanie Valencia – 202-228-3630 |
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| Sen. Salazar Addresses Safety of Elder Americans in Nursing Homes at Aging Committee Hearing WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, United States Senator Ken Salazar made the following statement at a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging examining long-term care for seniors and nursing homes. The hearing was entitled “Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement.” During the past several years, government and news reports have documented cases of abuse, neglect, and malnutrition in too many nursing homes across the country. In addition, statistics tell that the demand for long term care of seniors will rise greatly. “For many elder Americans and their families, long-term care decisions are difficult and complex. One must weigh an individual’s various physical and mental needs with the type of services offered, location and costs. Long-term care decisions are also emotionally difficult. Entering a nursing home facility means that an individual must physically leave the home they have lived in for years. “But the services that long-term care and nursing home facilities provide are critical to the health and safety of our seniors. Many elder Americans who suffer from a physical or mental condition would not be able to cook, dress, or bathe themselves without the necessary assistance that long-term care facilities provide. Because we value and respect elder Americans, we must ensure that the quality of care that they receive at these facilities meets the highest standards. “I agree with many of the experts at this hearing that increasing transparency in the industry is critically important to ensure that elder Americans and their families make well-informed decisions when selecting a nursing home facility. At the very minimum, elder Americans should have access to accurate and timely information regarding staff levels, turnover, complaints filed against the facility, and information related to ownership for accountability purposes. “The number of retirees in the U.S. is growing. Most analysts project that the demand for quality nursing home care will significantly increase as the baby boomers age and retire. Therefore, the information collected in this hearing is important to help identify the most effective policy solutions to ensure that elder Americans and their families have the information they need and access quality long-term care. I look forward to working with my colleagues on achieving this goal.”
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