The Virginia General Assembly has done very little to protect the health and safety of its elderly. For example, advocacy groups have pushed for years to get Virginia to establish minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes. It is without question that the best care can only be provided when the facility has a sufficient number of well-trained nurses caring for residents.
It appears that the legislators from Maryland care more about their elderly than our Virginia politicians. Governor Martin O’Malley signed bills to establish a one-year task force on long-term care finances and to speed up the approval process for long-term care under state Medical Assistance. He also signed a measure that would expand the transparency of nursing home licensure. Advocates have cried out against corporations buying nursing homes.
Another piece of legislation in Maryland requires companies seeking state nursing home licensure to prove they can deliver quality care by meeting medical and financial standards — and to clearly spell out who owns and manages the nursing home.
KUDOS TO MARYLAND!