An argument can be made that the policies implemented as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic seemingly devalue the lives of the elderly. Older Americans face more risk of serious illness as well as death from the virus, and the failure of politicians and medical experts to prioritize their care has resulted in more deaths in that age bracket – some of which may have been preventable.
Nursing Home Issues:
-Nursing homes have been slow to receive the necessary protective equipment for their employees and patients.
-Some states mandated that nursing homes accept Covid-19- positive patients from overcrowded hospitals.
-Federal policies indefinitely suspended most nursing home inspections leaving residents largely unsupervised and at the mercy of overwhelmed institutions.
-Older Americans are not prioritized for testing. There is no consistent process for testing and it tends to be very localized and subject to constant changes.
-Isolation protocols are the primary solutions implemented in most nursing homes throughout Maryland, as well as the rest of the country. Until sufficient testing and tracking is in place so that staff and residents are known to be virus free, on a consistent basis, these isolation protocols seem to be the only solution. However, long term isolation is leaving many senior residents in nursing home facilities lonely and neglected, leading to other serious issues and complications.
At Stouffer Legal, we care about our seniors and want to shed more light on the damage ageism has on society as a whole as well as the impact it has on policies implemented to combat Covid-19. Contact our firm for assistance with Elder Law issues such as long-term care planning, Medicaid planning and estate planning.
