Sunday, September 18, 2011

Editorial: Nursing Home Accusations are 'Ludicrous'

Disability Rights Iowa Executive Director Sylvia Piper’s recent letter to the Des Moines Register and open letter to Gov. Terry Branstad shows a blatant disregard for the facts and truth relating to Iowa’s nursing facilities’ quality and oversight.

The Iowa Health Care Association’s 329 member nursing facilities care for approximately 42,000 frail and elderly Iowans each year. Of those, 30 percent receive rehabilitation services (i.e. for a broken hip or knee replacement) and successfully return home after a few weeks or months. Others make the nursing facility their home in order to receive nursing care and services that they or their families are unable to provide in their own home. At any one time, 60 percent of residents are receiving dementia, end-of-life or hospice care services in their nursing facility.

Piper’s assertion that no one is watching out for our vulnerable citizens is ludicrous. The care and services provided in all Iowa licensed nursing facilities are closely regulated at both the state and federal levels. In fact, nursing facility care is among the most regulated professions in Iowa and the nation.

Full Editorial and Source:
Nursing Home Accusations are 'Ludicrous'

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

No they're not.

Kyle said...

Whover wrote this editorial obviously hasn't spent much time in a facility....