Editorial: It’s time to toughen nursing home rules

Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2001 | 8:54 a.m.

It is deeply disturbing that a congressional study found that state inspectors cited nearly one-third of the nation's 17,000 nursing homes for abusive treatment of elderly patients during the past two years. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., intends to not only introduce legislation that increases the federal government's oversight of nursing homes, but he also wants more federal money allocated for nursing home care.

Some states, including Nevada, have toughened their regulation of nursing homes. But that doesn't mean Congress shouldn't get involved -- establishing minimum federal standards is needed and providing more funding would be of help as well. The elderly and their families shouldn't have to worry that admitting them into a nursing home will put them in harm's way.

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