The State of California has taken an important step to safeguard the wellbeing of residents of long term care by mandating that virtually all facilities providing care in congregate settings take steps to ensure that their workers are vaccinated.
It may be fewer than you would expect. According to federal data as of July 11, 2021, less than 80 percent of current nursing home staff in California were vaccinated.
Berkeley, CA – After a lawsuit filed in January 18, 2021 by California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) and the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) challenging CMS’s 2017 policy limiting the types of civil money penalties (CMPs) that can be imposed against nursing facilities, CMS has reversed course and announced plans to impose much stiffer penalties for nursing facility violations.
After a lawsuit filed in January 18, 2021 by California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) and the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) challenging CMS’s 2017 policy limiting the types of civil money penalties (CMPs) that can be imposed against nursing facilities, CMS has reversed course and announced plans to impose much stiffer penalties for nursing facility violations. READ FULL PRESS RELEASE (PDF) You can read more about the topic in this New York Times article.
CANHR has joined with 26 other disability rights organizations to submit an amicus brief in the Britney Spears conservatorship case, arguing in support of Ms.
Despite plummeting rates of COVID infections and deaths in nursing homes and the lifting of public health-oriented restrictions, long term care facilities throughout the state are still limiting visits from families and friends to a measly 30 minutes per week. Other facilities, in stark contrast, are permitting extensive daily visitation. The wide range of visitation policies among facilities has been enabled by the State’s continued waiver of laws that normally require broad visitation access for residents.Potential residents and their loved ones are strongly encouraged to speak with the managers of facilities they are considering and ask for written copies of their visitation policies.
Medi-Cal offers alternatives to nursing homes that also allow the community spouse to keep extra assets and income. Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) are designed for seniors who want to stay at home or within their community and who are at high risk for nursing home placement.
Both my parents are World War II veterans. My dad has Parkinson’s and my mom is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s.