Last week the Elder Care and Vulnerable Adult Protection Act of 2019 passed with bipartisan support. Until its passage, Minnesota was the only state that did not license assisted-living facilities. I want to thank AARP-MN, Elder Voice Family Advocates and its leader and my friend and mentor, Kris Sundberg, for their long-standing dedication to protect seniors and vulnerable adults. I share this commitment to provide quality care to our seniors and the most vulnerable.

There is more needed (especially to help our seniors in Freeborn County), but this law is a start and will provide needed parity between assisted-living and skilled-nursing facilities. It enforces basic standards of care and new procedures for discharging residents. For example, a facility director can’t just stop care in the middle of February in -10 weather without so much as a diligent assessment. This has happened to our beloved community members.

With defined rules governing discharges and protection against retaliating against residents and staff who report maltreatment, elders now have a voice.

If you know of maltreatment of seniors, please call:

• The Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center at 1-844-880-1574

• The Ombudsman for Long-term Care at 651-431-2555

• The Office of Health Facility Complaints at 651-201-4200

Martha Sichko

Albert Lea