More than 2 million Americans live in long-term care-a nursing home, aided stay or other residential care facilities. Many of us can visit a family member, friend or neighbor regularly, who live in a long -term care house. We hope that our loved ones will be well taken care of.
But till now many long -term care residents doExperienceTheir health, safety and quality of life, such as misuse, neglect, financial exploitation and theft to theft. In fact, there are average rates of large misuseincreased84 percent in the US since Covid-19 epidemic.
Old American actCelebrating its 60th anniversary this year, long -term care encounters the protection of the rights of the residents and preserves the quality of their life, dignity and security.
It is an important part of the system that exists to protect all older adults of the nation, providing important services that help people live in their communities and protect people who are the weakest who live in licensed care settings such as nursing homes.
Old American Act authorizes funds for important programs like meals on WheelsSulabh transport services, prevention and reaction of large misuse, and family careful support, for example.
These and other activities funded by the ActOne of six big adultsAccording to the Department of Health and Human Services.
A long -term program that works to protect the rights of persons living in licensed care homes isLong -term care Lokpal program,
Operations in all states, Columbia District, Puerto Rico and Guam, trained, payment and volunteer Lokpal last yearOperated380,000 trips for over 50,000 long -term care features.
Those trips investigated more than 205,000 complaints and provided over 710,000 examples of information and assistance to residents, family members, concerned persons and convenience employees.
Long -term care Lokpal representatives help address serious complaints, including involuntary discharge or eviction, physical abuse, neglect, help of poor employees, insufficient or poor drug management, insufficient quality or reaction to the amount of food and many other issues.
However, long -term care Lokpal programs and money for other services authorized by the Old Americans Act have not coordinated with the increase in our population of old Americans. Federal funding is much less than meeting the needs of all long -term care residents.
According to Kaiser Family FoundationAnalysisIn Congress’s Research Services Reporting, only 1 percent of 1 percent of the funding authorized under the Act is nominated for the long -term care Lokpal program and a grant for large misconduct, neglect and prevention programs. $ 28 per capita.
In 1995, the National Academy of Medicine recommended minimum one full -time Lokpal for every 2,000 long -term care residents. Today, according to data collected by the government, almost all states do not meet that 30 -year standard.
Long -term care Lokpal representatives in every state are offering a voice to some weakest people in our communities, often unable to raise issues or complaints.
Long -term care can experience the feelings of loss of freedom and can increase the feelings of loneliness or isolation, on top of physical, emotional or cognitive challenges.
The Lokpal has a proven track record of facing residents facing the early signs of misconduct and neglect and to intervene to protect old adults from more damage, allowing low emergency room tours and unnecessary hospitals.
Long -term care is worth the residents, and legally entitled, to get stable, high quality care that enhance their dignity and honor them as individuals.
American agrees – Public Rai Survey ShowoverwhelmingConcern about bad conditions in America’s nursing home, andHelpFederal investment in long -term care.
The Congress can showcase that it honestly is interested in reducing the burden on our regulatory system, reducing the cost of health care and protecting the old Americans, re -launching the old Americans Act and increasing the money for the long -term care Lokpal program.
Taking care of the rights of our elders and protecting them is a moral imperative which should be given priority to all MPs.
Petricia Hunter Washington is the President of Long -term Care Lokpal and National Association of State Lokpal programs.
