WASHINGTON— AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposal to require federal minimum staffing levels in nursing homes.

“COVID-19 revealed what AARP and other advocates have been saying for decades: the lack of standards and poor-quality care in too many of America’s nursing homes is deadly. Far too many Americans died in those facilities, which have been plagued with problems for many years.  Today’s proposal is an important step to establish a minimum nursing home staffing standard. We are pleased the proposal would require nursing homes to have a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. AARP will continue to fight to ensure every person living in a nursing home can live in dignity and get the care they deserve.”

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About AARP

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation’s largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.