Elder Law

More Funding To Help Improve Illinois Nursing Home Care

By Levin & Perconti

Our state legislature was very busy last week as several major policy proposals were heatedly debate in Springfield. Friday marked the official end of the last General Assembly. The last-minute business was the last effort involving many retiring legislators before a swath of new members were sworn into office.

Part of the effort involved passage of a plan that will increase state revenues significantly over the next several years. The result will mean that hundreds of millions more dollars will be given to Illinois nursing homes, according to Behavioral Health Central. Few people would question the benefit of devoting more resources to improving the quality of care at local nursing homes. However, it is important to remain aware of the potential pitfalls of the specific legislation passed by state leaders.

Of particular note, there is concern that the funding will provide a windfall to profit-making facilities that typically provide substandard care. It is of the utmost importance that the influx of money provided by the state not be used in a way that provides benefit to poor care-givers and impedes transfers of residents out of poor facilities.

The legislation was motivated in part by efforts to reduce violence and abuse at Illinois nursing homes. Recent investigations have shown the problem to be much more widespread that many imagined.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on January 16, 2011 (boomark / email).