Letters to the Editor: Are nursing homes poorly regulated or poorly understood?
To the editor: As one whose husband died from effects of isolation and poor care in 2020 and who is now a designated support person for two loved ones in a nursing home, I greatly appreciated Steve Lopez’s column, “Increased staffing for nursing homes? Sure, but the lack of oversight is deplorable.”
Nursing home residents have no voice. It’s difficult for them to gather in the streets for protests, and few have the means to make their voices heard via social media, email or even phone. Many have no one to speak up for them. They need us to be their voice.
There is this sense that society accepts that nursing homes “are what they are.” That needs to change.
The conditions of nursing homes, which house younger adults and pediatric residents too, are deplorable. There are many wonderful staff, but overall facilities are poorly administered. And with no accountability, nothing will change.
Even with more support for people aging at home, there will always be a need for skilled nursing facilities. Residents and their caregivers need people who will lend their voices to the rally cry for public and legislative attention.
Quality of life is medically necessary.
Melody Taylor Stark, Monrovia
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To the editor: I am a registered nurse who consults with nursing homes on infection prevention and control. I am involved with facilities throughout California.
Why is it necessary to continuously bash nursing homes? I have yet to find an article that talks about the wonderful things that the healthcare providers in long-term care facilities do to enhance the quality of life of our growing population of frail seniors.
Are there some facilities that are guilty of providing substandard care? Probably yes, but when you realize how heavily regulated nursing facilities are, those places don’t survive for long.
Lopez states that California provides oversight of nursing homes in all counties except Los Angeles. In fact, L.A. County has a very robust oversight of their skilled nursing facilities, both from a public health perspective and in licensing and certification.
Staffing has been a problem, especially through the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it has been very difficult to attract quality caregivers, especially since the hourly wage is so low. In addition to increasing the staff-to-patient ratio, we need to increase reimbursement to facilities so they can pay higher salaries and attract good healthcare providers.
Dolly Greene, Tarzana
