In a mirror to the $1.5 billion rescue package put to the Government by the major aged care peak bodies here, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living has called on the US Government to provide facilities with US$1.8 billion (AUD$2.8 billion) – an average of US$120,000 (AUD$187,000) per facility – over the next three to four months.
The peak body also wants another US$600 million (AUD$935 million) for the estimated 5,000 facilities with COVID-19 positive residents, plus priority COVID-19 testing for all residents and staff – regardless of symptoms – and expedited shipments of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Under the proposal, the funding could be used only for PPE and testing; additional staff; incentive pay for staff; and lost revenue, “as the statute provides, but capped at 25% of the facility’s grant.”
As we reported here, FEMA had promised two-week supplies of PPE to all facilities across the country over the next two months, but peak groups dismissed this as “wholly insufficient”.
They say more is needed – which is backed by the evidence. Separate reports this week showed that the Trump administration is expecting deaths to double to 3,000 a day by 1 June – just three weeks away.
At least 30% of COVID-19 deaths have taken place in skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes.
