Long-term care ‘crisis’

Dear Editor,

The term ‘crisis’ is tossed around too easily today, but the workforce challenges in long-term care have truly reached ‘crisis’ levels. In Pennsylvania, we have more elderly and adults with disabilities in need of care than available caregivers. This, in turn, has overwhelmed hospitals and forced vulnerable seniors to remain at home while awaiting admission into a nursing home.

Within the past few weeks, this crisis was set to become more dangerous — until Senator Michele Brooks and other state legislative leaders took action.

Nursing homes across the commonwealth would have lost hundreds of Temporary Nurse Aides (TNAs) due to the end of a federal waiver that permitted TNAs to provide care. TNAs have served a critical role throughout the pandemic as they worked toward their certification in becoming a permanent nurse aide — but that certification came with barriers created by a state contractor responsible for facilitating certification tests.

As the chairwoman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Senator Brooks sprang into action, calling the state’s vendor to a public hearing, demanding action from the Wolf administration and pushing the state to request a federal extension of the TNA program.

The request was submitted and an extension was approved 48 hours before hundreds of TNAs would have been terminated.

Regulations are essential, but barriers shouldn’t prevent long-term care providers from carrying out their mission of caring for others.

We are grateful for the quick actions of legislators who are willing to advocate for our most vulnerable and their caregivers.

Zach Shamberg,

president and CEO,

Pennsylvania Health Care Association.

Change of direction

Dear Editor,

As midterm elections approach, the voter must be aware of issues that may illuminate or cloud the candidates who seek office.

John Fetterman is hoping to win a senate seat from Pennsylvania; his radical agenda will continue the left’s scheme to control this country. Sadly, he has to deal with the aftermath of a stroke.

As voters we see the effects of the stroke may not allow him to adequately represent this commonwealth; he struggles now.

How can he be part of the U.S. Senate without full faculties and the ability to vocalize his message? Dr. Mehmet Oz will make certain that we return to policies that benefit the citizens of this commonwealth and country; where the middle class will not lose its identity in the throws of insane, unnecessary spending.

The indoctrination of our children, our future, is reprehensible.

If parents are taken out of the equation, and children are to left to the wiles of the state, we’ll see a radical government perpetuated into another generation.

We need our conservative leaders to stop the insanity of taking childhood away from children and exposing them to ideological changes such as gender identification before they are ready to comprehend the seriousness of their decisions; not allowing parents to raise these children is inexcusable. Children can’t decide major life altering issues until they are responsible enough to understand the consequences of their decision.

I don’t believe the government has any business in this decision or teachers have any right to inflict this debacle on their students. Teaching them to read, write, and how to think is hard enough; life altering decisions should be left to the family unit.

Norma Bankoske,

Warren

Center needs to fill beds

Dear Editor:

Recently the Allegheny Valley Veterans Center held an open house with public tours to display a twenty (20) bed transitional housing concept for a presumed homeless veteran’s population.

Within this time, there have been four residents, one current. Services provided to the original two veterans allowed them to relocate. One of the four was a homeless veteran living illegally in his motor home, which has since been resolved due to the good offices of the Zoning Board, leaving the one current resident among the 20-resident facility.

As a non-profit, they require outside funding in order to operate.

I am requesting a halt to all funds earmarked for further construction until the center can provide proof of concept. Show the public, and more importantly Clarendon, that the Stakeholders can first fill the 19 empty beds before any more are constructed.

AVVC has stated there is a need. Asking for funds to continue construction when there are empty beds demands transparency and accountability that, up to this point, has been sorely lacking.

Before wrapping oneself in Old Glory, I would caution those so inclined to take a step back and ask for Proof of Concept, fill the beds currently empty before any further are built. From Congressman Thompson and Ash Khare who met recently with the center’s Board, to the Community Foundation of Warren County; from the Warren County Commissioners’ Office to private donors I would stress the need to review carefully exactly where their; and our, dollars are best spent.

Scott Robert Blume

Clarendon