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IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE OUR OLDER
population will increase by tens of thousands over the next 25 years, we cannot afford to put our skilled nursing facilities at risk of having to cut care-giving expenses or even to close.
Because the level of care needed across the continuum of care will continue to grow, skilled nursing facilities will face many challenges in attracting and training staff who will require competitive salaries, increased training and more sophisticated equipment.
To successfully care for the growing numbers of older Ohioans, we need to create a robust continuum of care that provides appropriate levels of care for those needing it at every level along the continuum – home care, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.
And as hospital stays continue to get shorter, skilled nursing facilities are increasingly offering the rehabilitation services once provided by hospitals. In fact, two-thirds of skilled nursing facility patients are discharged within six months and 80% of those discharged return home or to a lower level of care. More than 100,000 individuals return home each year.
And, more than 95% of people in skilled nursing facilities need a nursing facility level of care and most of those not requiring a nursing facility level of care have mental impairments that keep them from being able to live safely in the community.
The Skilled Nursing Care Coalition calls on providers of services across the continuum of care to work together to create a system of care that ensures that those who have spent their lives making contributions to our communities and society will know that they can count on an appropriate level of care when they need it.
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CONTACT
the Governor and your legislator. Tell them to support fair
Medicaid funding to reimburse the cost of providing quality
care to Ohio’s most vulnerable citizens.
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