02/10/2022

Recent bad press for long-term care, LeadingAge Ohio responds

In recent weeks, several articles have targeted Ohio’s nursing facilities, noting lapses in infection control protocols that led to deadly outbreaks. 

In Errors, deception preceded deadly nursing home covid outbreaks, inspections show (Ohio Capital Journal), Ohio’s nursing home sector is highlighted for “systemic failures” in infection control throughout the pandemic. The article focuses attention on the lobbying efforts of long-term care trade associations.

In a follow-up piece by Cleveland.com titled COVID has exposed an urgent need to shore up Ohio nursing home oversight: editorial, the Cleveland.com editorial board takes the story a step further by suggesting that “There must be serious consequences for such malfeasance” (in infection control) and that the state “should use its power aggressively” to regulate long-term care. Lastly, Cleveland.com suggested that long-term care providers have “not met the challenge of stemming COVID-19 infections” and highlighted resident cases and deaths in Ohio last among neighboring states for COVID-19 vaccination rates in nursing homes; see 10 counties with the highest number of deaths (Cleveland.com).

LeadingAge Ohio responded quickly and succinctly via a series of Twitter posts which highlighted important data left out of the stories above while also stating that “COVID certainly has exposed an urgent need – to support, not villainize, Ohio’s post-acute care providers.” 

LeadingAge Ohio will continue to respond as appropriate when negative storylines emerge.