| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Kristen Knapp, APR (850) 224-3907 or kknapp@fhca.org |
Florida Long Term Care Residents, Caregivers, Staff and Volunteers Tallahassee, FL - National Nursing Home Week kicked off Sunday, May 10, and will run through May 16, in an effort to raise awareness about nursing facility life and to celebrate the residents, caregivers, families, staff and volunteers whose remarkable achievements and commitment are the driving force behind quality long term care in Florida's nursing homes. The theme of the week is "Nurturing a Love that Lasts." Florida is home to nearly 700 nursing homes that provide skilled nursing and long term care, short-term rehab and other valuable services to almost 80,000 frail elders and citizens with disabilities. Florida's long term care facilities support $9.6 billion in labor income, contributing to approximately 272,800 jobs. In some rural communities, nursing homes are often one of the largest employers and generate significant economic benefits for their communities. These facilities hire more than just direct care workers, such as nurses and CNAs. They employ maintenance workers, food service staff, activity professionals and social workers, for example, who each play an integral role in quality care and quality of life for residents. At the close of the 2009 legislative session, Florida nursing homes experienced a three-percent reimbursement rate cut, however facilities were authorized to use the Quality Assessment Program, passed during the January 2009 special session, to try to offset those funding cuts and allow the state to draw down additional federal dollars to fund nursing home care. In addition, legislators reinstated the 2.9 CNA staffing level, which will become effective July 1, 2009. The increased staffing standards, which were approved in 2001 as part of landmark elder care reform legislation, continue contributing to the dramatic improvements to Florida's nursing home quality care as recently reported in the Agency for Health Care Administration's Preliminary Staffing Analyses (visit http://www.fhca.org/news/usfnhstaff.pdf to read the report). "Stable Medicaid funding is critical to sustain access to quality nursing home care for our state's frail elders - and will have a direct, positive impact on the economy by ensuring job growth, new hires and retention of staff in our facilities, said Emmett Reed, Executive Director of the Florida Health Care Association. "As we honor the residents, caregivers and staff in our state's nursing homes this week, it is important to remember that long term solutions are still a necessity to ensure a stable funding source exists for the for the critical, future health care needs of our state's frail elders. Long term care facilities will become even more important to Florida's economy over time with the aging of the baby boomers. Florida's citizens aged 65 and older represent 16.8 percent of the state's total population, and the state ranks 7th nationally in proportion of its population of citizens aged 85 years and older. As Florida's population continues to age, the number of long term care facility residents will grow. The concern about the state's Medicaid budget will increase as the need for long term care beds will rise, thus underlining the importance of ensuring adequate funding for long term care facilities so that future demand for their services can be met. National Nursing Home Week is an annual observance sponsored by the American Health Care Association in Washington, D.C. and its state affiliate, the Florida Health Care Association. ABOUT THE FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is a federation which serves nearly 1,000 members and represents over 500 long term care facilities that provide skilled nursing care, short-term rehab, assisted living and other services to the frail elderly and individuals with disabilities in Florida. FHCA was founded on the premise that its members have a moral obligation to the residents they serve, and since 1954 the Association has worked diligently to improve quality of care and quality of life for the state’s growing elder care population. For more information about the Florida Health Care Association, visit www.fhca.org. ### | |