Iowa Senate Democrats Demand Oversight Committee Investigation into Iowa’s Nursing Home Crisis

Iowa Senate Democrats on Thursday called on the Senate Oversight Committee to conduct a bipartisan investigation into Iowa’s nursing home crisis. Sen. Claire Celsi, D-West Des Moines and the ranking member on the oversight committee, formally requested the investigation in a Dec. 14 letter to committee Chairwoman Amy Sinclair. “Iowans ...

Iowa Senate Democrats on Thursday called on the Senate Oversight Committee to conduct a bipartisan investigation into Iowa’s nursing home crisis.

Sen. Claire Celsi, D-West Des Moines and the ranking member on the oversight committee, formally requested the investigation in a Dec. 14 letter to committee Chairwoman Amy Sinclair.

“Iowans want and deserve full accountability and transparency from Legislators and Governor Reynolds,” Celsi wrote in the letter. “As Ranking Member of the Senate Oversight Committee, I hereby request an official meeting of the committee so we can publicly discuss the nursing home crisis, investigate its causes, and find solutions that address the problems. This is a matter of life and death for impacted Iowans.”

According to federal data, Iowa is responsible for 3 percent of the nation’s nursing facility citations, and 4.1 percent of the nation’s immediate jeopardy and life-threatening situations — despite accounting for just 1 percent of the nation’s 65+ population. On a per capita basis, Iowa is one of the worst states in the nation for nursing home care.

The scale, scope and tragic consequences of the breakdown in Iowa’s current long-term care system has been detailed in numerous press reports and confirmed by advocates and experts over the past year. Now, it’s up to the Legislature to do something about it. 

Celsi delivered her request to Sinclair’s office on Thursday. 

“There’s nothing partisan about accountability for nursing home operators or the wellbeing of elderly Iowans,” Celsi said. “Democrats and Republicans must come together now to investigate our nursing home crisis and collaborate on solutions that protect vulnerable Iowans in every Iowa community.” 

“The evidence is undeniable: we need reform that ensures accountability for bad actors while ensuring success for high-quality facilities,” Celsi said. “Iowa seniors deserve nothing less.”

What Advocates are Saying

“I’ve been paying attention to elder care issues in Iowa since before I was elected to the Senate. What we need now is accountability and adequate staffing – not excuses and studies. Older Iowans cared for us, raised us, and built our communities. And all of us, sooner or later, will be older Iowans, too. Iowans are not receiving the care they need in our state, and legislators have a responsibility to act.”

– Iowa state Sen. Senator Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, and member of the Iowa Commission on Aging.

“Stories of neglect and abuse of residents in Iowa nursing homes have been written for several decades. Tragically, the stories being written today are worse than ever – stories of resident death, sexual assault, and total failure of too many facilities to deal humanely with vulnerable older Iowans. The outrage in Iowa is growing, and elected leaders at the Iowa Capitol need to respond by expressing genuine concern, asking important questions, and taking long overdue action.” 

– John Hale, Iowa senior advocate

“As the former Director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals responsible for overseeing the inspections of nursing homes, it is shocking that Iowa now ranks 49th among states in nursing home inspectors, and that the state has resorted to using extraordinarily costly private contractors to address its self-created problem. Timely surveys of this mostly for-profit industry lag behind, and, worse yet, serious resident complaints have gone and continue to go unanswered. The health, safety, and welfare of Iowa’s vulnerable seniors has been put at risk.  It’s past time for a change!” 

– Dean Lerner, Iowa senior advocate

“As a former long-term care facility surveyor, I find it appalling that oversight for the health and safety of facility residents is so lackadaisical. Elderly Iowans deserve respect, dignity, and care. Becoming old does not make an individual a second-class citizen.” 

– Mary Weaver, former nursing home inspector

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