Cannot malign all long-term care centers

I have worked in long-term care for 17 years. I agree there are nursing facilities that fit the description in the May 15 guest column (by Pressley Henningsen).

It is my experience that most nursing facilities do their best to care for residents, and the number of residents who are safely cared for far outweighs the number who are “severely injured.” Some residents who retain their civil rights make their own choices about their dietary intake despite being educated by the facility on a therapeutic diet.

I agree that staff should competently respond to emergency situations. It is standard care for facilities to have residents sign an advance directive and have policies in place to allow the facility to respond appropriately to emergencies.

Federal and state regulations govern every action of a facility. Facilities are required to self-report accidents that result in harm to a resident. Tighter regulation is not going to enhance more compliance with safety standards.

The root of the problem is adequately funding state and federal programs that pay for long-term care. Better care can't be obtained through articles that lump nursing homes into an unfavorable category, leaving a bad taste in the public's mouth and tainting the labor pool for long-term care.

Jessica Birker, RN

Nurse manager

Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab

Vinton