Stuart, Greenwood push for nursing home care legislation

April 18--COLLINSVILLE -- State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, and State Rep. Latoya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, along with senior advocates spoke in Collinsville about proposed legislation meant to enhance the quality of life of long-term care residents of nursing homes.

Stuart and Greenwood were joined by Alzheimer's Association Advocacy Manager Andrew Kretschmar and Illinois Long-Term Care Ombudsman Jamie Freschi in order to push for legislation to improve care for nursing home residents.

According to a news release from Stuart and Greenwood's offices, there was legislation passed in 2010 which required long-term care facilities to meet safe staffing levels proven to improve care and lower morbidity among long-term care residents.

However, more than one-third of nursing home facilities across Illinois continue to staff at "dangerously low levels and, making them poorly equipped to handle the care needs of residents with cognitive impairment, causing an improper discharge of residents to hospital psychiatric units."

Proposed legislation would prevent the growing practice of illegally discharging long-term care residents -- and also address short-staffing by enforcing existing staffing level requirements with financial penalties, the news release said.

Stuart is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

"I think it's a common sense bill. It puts the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable neighbors first," Stuart said. "I'm happy to be working on this bill, working to ensure basic health care needs are met and provided for neighbors with Alzheimer's and individuals with disabilities and other long-term residents."

The bill would give long-term care residents a due process before being involuntarily discharged.

"For me that's important to provide that voice for those people that don't have that voice (for) themselves," Stuart said.

Greenwood said making sure seniors are protected is a top priority for her and Stuart.

"We must continue to fight for our seniors and those who are the least among us, so they deserve the quality of care they deserve and have earned," Greenwood said.

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