Advocate Urges Emergency Action On Nursing Homes

{Kentucky}...Bernie Vonderheide, founder of Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform, is calling on Governor Steve Beshear to take emergency action to address the lack of staffing requirements for long-term care facilities. Vonderheide says he is asking Beshear to call an emergency session of the General Assembly or to issue an emergency executive order to establish minimum staff-to-resident ratios for all long-term care homes, including personal care homes and nursing homes. In response, Beshear spokeswoman Kerri Richardson said a "special session must last a minimum of five days, at a cost of at least $300,000, so any special session should be called only when consensus has been reached on a particular issue. Richardson says the subject is best suited for thorough review and debate during the upcoming regular session to begin in January.