Republicans in the Iowa House are proposing joint training of state nursing home inspectors and nursing home staff. The twice-per-year training would have to include a review of the most frequent complaints about care from the previous year.
Republican Representative Ann Meyer of Fort Dodge says she wants nursing homes to stay open and the policy would build a more collaborative relationship between inspectors and facilities.
“Making sure that complaints in the nursing home are going to be addressed,” Meyer says. “And (with) the training, we want to make sure that both entities are on the same page, the nursing homes and the inspectors.”
Democrats in the Senate have been calling on state officials to hire more nursing home inspectors. Senate Democrats have also proposed more state funding to raise direct care workers’ pay and an increase in Medicaid’s allowance for things like hair cuts, toiletries and clothing for nursing home residents.
(By Katarina Sostaric, Iowa Public Radio)