Pandemic lessons must spur federal action to protect nursing home residents
By Chief Medical Officer Julie K. Taitsman and Deputy Regional Inspector General Nancy Harrison
About one-third of Americans who reach age 65 will need nursing home care in their lifetimes — which can be a daunting thought if you recall the suffering of residents as the Covid-19 pandemic exposed long-standing problems in nursing homes.
These problems did not fade away with the end of the public health emergency, and nursing home residents continue to be disproportionately affected by Covid-19.
Meaningful change to keep nursing home residents safe requires broad collaboration with partners and stakeholders across government, the nursing home sector, and the broader health care industry.