Sample Nursing Home Family Member Letter to Legislator
Examples:
Letter 1
Dear (Legislator’s Name),
I have a loved one at (Nursing Home Name) in your district. I know this is a difficult year for the budget because of what has happened to our economy, and I know legislators face tough decisions. But no decision is as difficult as placing a loved one in a nursing home.
The decision we made was the right one. We made it because we were confident that our family member would receive a high level of care to age with dignity and respect, and to enjoy a high quality of life with compassion and companionship. And that is exactly what has happened. We are so pleased with the care the nursing home and its staff provide.
But we’re worried about the impact of chronic underfunding. Right now, the cost of caring for a Medicaid resident in a nursing home exceeds the cost of reimbursement by nearly $5,000 a year – and two out of three residents are on Medicaid. It doesn’t take a mathematician to understand that when you lose that much money on the majority of your residents, it becomes harder and harder to maintain quality care.
The men and women in nursing homes are the sickest of the sick and the frailest of the frail. They are there because they could no longer safely live at home. I am writing to ask that you include adequate Medicaid funding in the 2009-10 state budget. Especially in a difficult budget year, when funds our limited, we need to take care of those who need care the most.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
Letter 2
Dear (Legislator’s Name),
I am writing to you about the issue of adequate state funding for nursing homes. I am both a constituent in your district, and a family member with a loved one receiving care in a nursing home.
My (mother/father/aunt/etc.) is one of the 80,000 Pennsylvanians living in a nursing home because (she/he) needs around-the-clock care. It was a very difficult decision moving (her/him) to a nursing home – it’s not a decision anyone ever wants to make for someone they love. But we looked at all the options and the nursing home was the best fit for (her/him). We are comforted and have peace of mind that (she/he) is in a setting that provides compassionate quality care and encourages residents to remain active and engaged through the various activities offered at the nursing home. We are also fortunate to be able to make visits to see (her/him) often, and are very pleased with how well (she/he) is doing. I don’t know what we would have done without access to high-quality nursing home in our area when care at home became too much for us to handle.
My family has been fortunate in finding a wonderful long-term care option for my (mother/father/aunt/etc.) but I am concerned about how budget shortfalls could impact the nursing home. Inevitably, when the state fails to pay its bills for the care of the elderly in nursing homes, nursing homes have no choice but to make painful cuts that can impact care and quality of life for both residents and staff.
Please support the state funding necessary to maintain quality nursing home care for the frailest and sickest Pennsylvanians. Families like mine depend on this care for our loved ones.
Sincerely,
Name
Address