Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-05
Shameful Situation

The appalling" conditions revealed
by District Medical Society survey Of
private nursing homes call for strong
corrective measures by public and pri-
vate agencies. Although an investigat-
ing committee agreed that no immediate
solution could be suggested, the situa-
ton as described in the report TO the
society Is such as to warrant q prompt,
concerted effort by District authorities
and other groups and individuals to
improve conditions.
The problem is complicated by the
shortage Of facilities TO care for the
aged and chemically ailing in the WASH
ington area. Badly operated homes can
be and have been closed by health, IRE
or building inspectors-but inevitably
great difficulty Is encountered In finding
other quarters for the displaced patients
The Districts Home for Aged at Blue
Plains is filled to capacity and has a
waiting list. And District General Hos
pital cannot accommodate all the pa
tients still confined in nursing homes
considered by health experts to have
serious shortcomings.
According to the committee Of doc
tors, some Of these homes are dirty,
gloomy, unsafe, inadequately staffed and
carelessly run. Equipment is insanitary,
food poor and supervision virtually lack
ing in the more deplorable homes. Yet
they continue to operate-with or with
out licenses. Why? Because, according
to Health Of1eer Finucane and other
officials, there is Just no place to send
the patients II, as the inspectors often
recommend, the places were ordered
closed.
DR.. Finucane, welfare officials and
others are properly concerned about this
dilemma and apparently are doing what
they can to solve 1t. But they need a
lot Of help from the community. They
have enlisted the aid of the District
Health and Welfare Council in a city
wide survey to fnd families which would
be willing to take care Of one or two
aged or infirm persons. For patients
unable to pay, the Welfare Department
will contribute up to $ll0 month for
such care. This plan is modelled after
the foster home program for children.
The Jewish Social Service Agency ale
ready has such a program under con-
sideration. other organizations could
help to relieve the nursing home situa-
ton by similar efforts to enlist public
cooperation.
Officials say the trouble centers In
the proprietary type of nursing homes
those run for profit. The nonprofit
homes, usually operated by churches or
other organizations, are not problem.
The nonprofit homes, incidentally, are
eligible for Federal building and i'm
provement funds, under the Hill-Burton
Act. The proprietary homes, however,
cannot receive such Federal aid. Many
of the profAt-making homes are well
operated and above criticism-and their
fees range from $500 to $40o a month
and up. Many patients cannot AFFORD
to pay such fees, however. And the
lower the charge, the greater the short
comingS.
District authorities say that the
worst of the faulty homes have been
denied licenses. 1t was implied that
others would be closed If the affected
patients could be moved elsewhere. 1t
is evident, therefore, that every govern
mental and community agency con-
cerned with this problem ought to
accelerate its efforts to f1nd suitable
places for as many victims Of these bad
conditions as possible. And the offend
ing nursing homes ought to be shut
down at the earliest practicable date.