Blessed with longevity, greater numbers of Americans are able to enjoy more time to spend with their family and loved ones. Take it from me, it’s a treasure to watch your grandchildren grow up and incredible to congratulate a granddaughter on the birth of her own child. But just as Americans break new age barriers, society must cope with the changing needs of an aging and expanding demographic group.
Growing older brings additional pressures to maintain one’s physical and mental well-being that eventually may hinder one’s ability to live independently. In countless cases across America, family caregivers provide the nurturing and basic care necessary to keep a loved one in the comforts of home for as long as possible.
But the time may come when a loved one requires 24-hour care and medical attention. In fact, more than one million people in America currently live in a nursing home. Nearly 30,000 elderly or disabled people live in 459 nursing homes in Iowa. These facilities serve an essential link in our health care delivery system. And they’re not just a place where older folks are tended to by trained medical staff. It’s also a home away from home for a vulnerable, dependent population.
As a federal policy maker, I have long championed the rights and needs of the nation’s nursing home residents, their families, and the trained staff whose job it is to tend their needs morning, noon and night.
A few years ago, as chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I held a series of hearings to spotlight weaknesses and challenges facing the nursing home industry. The discovery of substandard care – from open-wound bedsores, to malnutrition, dehydration, abusive treatment and neglect – served as a wake-up call to America. The oldest and neediest among us deserve to live their final years on earth with dignity.
Since my congressional hearings, many committed people have made progress to improve nursing home conditions. From tireless advocates and family members to members of the media and nursing home industry, government regulators and elected policymakers, many of us are dedicated to keeping this issue a front-burner priority.
One of the positive policy initiatives to emerge from this ongoing effort was the launch of a national on-line database. Maintained by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), the Nursing Home Compare web site offers American consumers a comprehensive, user-friendly resource to shop around for the best nursing home to suit the needs of a loved one.
As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has primary jurisdiction over federal nursing home regulations, I am keeping close tabs on the drive to improve nursing home care, including oversight of this on-line tool.
The web site has come a long way since its original launch in 1998. But flaws and gaps still exist. Last year I helped achieve a significant improvement to the information posted on the site. Previously, it didn’t include violations found by inspectors during annual visits or when they investigated complaints made by residents, family members or nurses. As a result, thousands of serious violations were excluded from the site, potentially misleading families searching for a nursing home. Now the site lists this information.
However, a new problem has come to light: the timeliness of posting this important information on Nursing Home Compare. A recent congressional investigation found it often takes months for violations to be posted, even when a life-threatening violation is involved. This means consumers are relying on incomplete and outdated information. Again, I’m working with federal regulators to correct the problem.
I have long championed the idea that sunshine is the best disinfectant. Consider my efforts in the federal judiciary to allow cameras in the courtroom and in my own lawmaking body to require senators to make public their prerogative to delay or 'hold' a particular bill or nominee. I believe openness in any system helps to cleanse impurities, educate the public and hold people accountable.
American consumers are growing increasingly accustomed to a 'right to know' when it comes to purchasing products, choosing services and buying groceries. When it comes to finding high-quality care for a loved one, they have a right to know about the standards of care provided at their local nursing home.
Shopping for a nursing home is often an emotional time for families. I’m working to help make sure they have the most accurate, reliable and timely information at their disposal.
I encourage Iowans to use the Nursing Home Compare web site. Go to http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Home.asp. It allows users to search by city, county or zip code and compare quality measurements, type of ownership, number of beds and the average number of hours worked each day by registered nurses and other certified staff.
Always make sure to follow-up with a face-to-face visit and observe care provided at each facility before making a final decision.
Iowans who wish to submit a complaint about quality of care inside a nursing home should contact the Department of Inspections and Appeals of Iowa, toll-free at 877/686-0027. For more information about nursing homes or to obtain help resolving problems between a nursing home and a resident, contact the ombudsman at the Department of Elder Affairs of Iowa, toll-free at 800/532-3213.