Maybe it’s because we’ve got older relatives in a nursing home that this story makes me so angry. Here’s how it was reported in the Chicago Tribune.
The Elder Justice Act, designed to combat abuse, neglect and exploitation of older Americans, still gathers dust in Congress. It has been doing that for five years, odd for a bill with few visible opponents.
That last part gets my dander up, the part about “few visible opponents.” If that’s true then why haven’t we seen action on this? I mean, if you all think it’s a good idea, what’s the holdup?
There’s more here that got my nerve endings smoking. Here’s another paragraph from the story.
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), head of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, backs a separate measure requiring criminal background checks for newly hired nursing home workers, a provision Coldren said might have prevented the rape of her grandmother. But nursing homes have made it clear they don’t want to incur the extra cost of those background checks, so the federal government would have to bear the burden.
The nursing home industry’s position seems to be that it’s better to increase the risk of abuse of frail and vulnerable people than it is to spend $20 or so per newly hired staff member on a criminal background check. That’s sick.
While the politicians dither on this one, you may want to add “Does the nursing home conduct criminal background checks on prospective employees?” to any checklist you’re using to evaluate a nursing home for a loved one.