"Millions of Americans are counting on the success of this initiative," Grassley said. "They include the 1.6 million residents of nursing homes, their family members and all of us who care about how our society treats its most vulnerable members. Many eyes are on what's coming from Washington, D.C. We need to know whether the word from here is improving the lives of nursing home residents hundreds of miles away."
Grassley's comments came during a Special Committee on Aging forum, "Consumers Assess the Nursing Home Initiative." The forum was the latest in a series of committee events on nursing homes.
For more than two years, the committee has focused on the quality of care in nursing homes, Grassley said. Early on, the General Accounting Office (GAO) documented severe problems in too many nursing homes. These problems included bed sores, malnutrition and dehydration. The GAO also exposed a weak enforcement system that tolerates problem nursing homes. The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) responded with an initiative to improve conditions.
Grassley said HCFA has completed a significant amount of work toward this goal, but the results do not indicate widespread improvement.
Forum panelists included a nursing home resident in Georgia; the family members of nursing home residents in Maryland, Missouri and Pennsylvania; advocates for nursing home residents from Iowa, Kansas and Virginia; and leading reformers.
Some panelists told of persistent problems, such as severe cases of abuse, inadequate nutrition and hydration, and trouble having complaints investigated. Others reported positive developments, such as a nursing home inspection at an unpredictable time and a surveyor who followed up on a consumer complaint.
Grassley said the panelists' perspective will be valuable to the continued dialogue among nursing home care providers, regulatory agencies, Congress and consumers. "I'm grateful for the people who gave us information only they can provide," Grassley said. "We need to continue to hear from those who feel the effects of what comes from Washington. Consumers have great expectations for the nursing home initiative. We have to meet and exceed their expectations so no one suffers in a nursing home."