President Trump
on Thursday outlined a handful of new initiatives intended to aid and
protect nursing homes as the coronavirus pandemic takes a heavy toll on
older Americans.
Trump announced the creation of a commission focused on safety in nursing homes composed of industry experts, patient advocates and state and local officials. The group will meet in May and issue recommendations for steps to protect seniors.
The administration will allocate $81 million in congressional funding toward increased inspections of nursing homes to ensure they are complying with infectious disease protocols, the president said.
The federal government will also require nursing homes to report
information about coronavirus cases to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
“My administration will never waver in its relentless commitment to America’s seniors,” Trump said. “We owe them a sacred and unbreakable obligation, and we will fulfill that obligation with every resource and power that we have.”
The coronavirus has ravaged nursing homes and elder care facilities, where many residents have weakened immune systems and are already susceptible to the disease. Nursing homes have been closed to visitors to slow the spread of the virus, and federal guidelines call for visits to remain prohibited until states have seen the number of cases decline for several weeks.
Trump’s outreach to seniors also comes as polls in the last week have shown him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden with voters 65 and older.
Trump spoke from the East Room of the White House, where he was joined by several administration officials, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) and leaders from the long-term care industry.
“The tragic reality is the coronavirus seemed almost tailor made to put major pressure on nursing homes,” said Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The New York Department of Health has reported there were 3,688 coronavirus deaths in nursing homes or adult care facilities as of Wednesday.
California officials have reported that 40 percent of the state’s coronavirus-related deaths are linked to nursing homes, though they have yet to release detailed numbers, according to local reports.
The South Carolina Department of Health released data this week that showed there have been 44 deaths at long-term care facilities in the state, accounting for roughly 23 percent of the state’s total coronavirus deaths.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/495555-trump-outlines-initiatives-to-protect-nursing-homes
Trump announced the creation of a commission focused on safety in nursing homes composed of industry experts, patient advocates and state and local officials. The group will meet in May and issue recommendations for steps to protect seniors.
The administration will allocate $81 million in congressional funding toward increased inspections of nursing homes to ensure they are complying with infectious disease protocols, the president said.
“My administration will never waver in its relentless commitment to America’s seniors,” Trump said. “We owe them a sacred and unbreakable obligation, and we will fulfill that obligation with every resource and power that we have.”
The coronavirus has ravaged nursing homes and elder care facilities, where many residents have weakened immune systems and are already susceptible to the disease. Nursing homes have been closed to visitors to slow the spread of the virus, and federal guidelines call for visits to remain prohibited until states have seen the number of cases decline for several weeks.
Trump’s outreach to seniors also comes as polls in the last week have shown him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden with voters 65 and older.
Trump spoke from the East Room of the White House, where he was joined by several administration officials, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) and leaders from the long-term care industry.
“The tragic reality is the coronavirus seemed almost tailor made to put major pressure on nursing homes,” said Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
California officials have reported that 40 percent of the state’s coronavirus-related deaths are linked to nursing homes, though they have yet to release detailed numbers, according to local reports.
The South Carolina Department of Health released data this week that showed there have been 44 deaths at long-term care facilities in the state, accounting for roughly 23 percent of the state’s total coronavirus deaths.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/495555-trump-outlines-initiatives-to-protect-nursing-homes
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