ST. PAUL, Minn. – Following a Minnesota Senate Republican press conference with Sen. Karin Housley announcing her eldercare proposals for the 2019 session, state Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL – Duluth), incoming chair of the House Subcommittee on Long Term Care, issued the following statement:
“Robust protections for seniors and vulnerable adults in care facilities should be one of the first items to advance in the 2019 session. Through work already done by AARP and other consumer-focused groups and productive discussions with stakeholders since the last session ended, we’re in a good position to ensure all seniors can live with the level of dignity they deserve.
“Any steps we take should be person-centered, with safety being the overarching theme. A new, multi-level licensure approach for assisted living, along with streamlined enforcement to hold those suspected of abuse and neglect better accountable, will help give those living in eldercare facilities and their families more peace of mind. We also need to support the goal of aging in place, and address challenges in employee shortages for direct care.
“This work shouldn’t be partisan, and I look forward to working with Sen. Housley and others to strengthen protections for seniors and vulnerable adults in Minnesota.”
Rep. Schultz is the chair-designate of the House Subcommittee on Long Term Care. Outside the legislature, she is a Professor of Economics at the University of Minnesota – Duluth.
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